Can You Guess?

7:10 AM Edit This 0 Comments »

Whose feet are these you ask? Well, I'll give you a couple of clues and see if you can guess...

1. She's a crazy Momma
2. She LOVES flip flops-proof positive right here in pink and white!
3. When she showed up on my doorstep wearing her cute little toed socks with flip-flops to go to a local pool...if I had been drinking milk, it would've coming flying out my nose! I still giggle every time I look at this picture!

and I think that's enough...I'll update at the end of the day ;0)

Update: They are none other than my fabulous and festive flip-flop friend's feet...Momma K! Any excuse to wear them ;0) Thanks for playing!

The Christmas Letter

9:33 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
Thirteen Things about Christmas Letters

Did you write one? I did for the first time EVER! It was actually kind of fun. After blogging, pretty easy too! For those of you who may not know, the writing of a Christmas letter serves many purposes. To catch distant relatives and faraway friends up on your lastest going's on. To brag (these are actually quite humorous with the whole one-upmanship thing). Or, for me, to reflect on the important milestones of your families' past year and to record them for posterior sake...I mean for posterity ;0)

I have found that these letters sometimes bring news of sadness in someone's passing, excitement of a new job and sheer amazement of the growth of children. They also bring some serious sarcasm, cloaking and bitterness, in some cases. All of which I've received this year. Some of the things are just not things I would share with people close to me!

Here are 13 of the most interesting and their subsequent translations.
(Names have been changed to protect the stupid)

1."Thad is doing very well in school and likes to stay very busy. "

Translation: Thad can't sit still in school, is always dropping his star, is falling behind in reading because his teacher is an incompetent idiot and we can't stand her! We have to pick up the slack at home and actually spend time with our son who is starving for attention because we work 24/7!

2. "We continue to work on the house. We have most of the first floor done and are now working on the kitchen/family room area. My husbands' talents never cease to amaze me."

Translation: Our house is still torn up after a year and a half and we've just taken out a second mortgage against our kids college funds to finish the rest. My husband is so damn slow we could've had a house built in the time it's taken him to re do these rooms! I'm sick of living on sub floor!

3. "She's a bit bohemian, don't ya know"

Translation: My daughter is a fat cow and will never be a dancer. (heard these words straight from the horses mouth btw)

4. "Joe is a 6th grade student, vertically challenged, still loves weapons and I think Santa was a little perplexed when he asked for a two headed axe. He plays at skateboarding, and is a serious little wrestler, although this year he is spending most of his time on his back counting ceiling lights."

Translation: My son is the shortest kid in the sixth grade, is obsessed with all things pointy and sharp and I'm worried about it. He sucks at wrestling and can't skateboard to save his life. What is a mother to do?

5. "Fanny made a bad choice lately..."

Translation: My loverly daughter decided to take advantage of her freedom and go smoke pot with the local "Derilict- Expelled " down the street. Expelled by the way, for taking a pack of Dramamine and going to school high as a kite, but he's just misunderstood, so I just let him hang out with my beautiful 15 year old daughter because she will be a good influence on him and "change" him. Yeah right...

6. "Fred and the other animals: In the doghouse where they belong (joke)"

Translation: Not really a joke. My husband's an ass who gambled away $300,000 of my money in an offshore gambling facility and lost it all, all the while cheating on me with "multiple" women and leaving me stranded with 4 kids, three dogs, two cats and a mortgage in a pear tree. Thanks...

7. "So after enduring an evening in a 5x8 bathroom with 9 people and 140+ winds, we emerged to find our lovely resort destroyed, but our spirits intact"

Translation: My husband ran around screaming at everyone he could find demanding that we get a ride to the airport and when no one would help us we bribed the local machete men to get a van and take as many people as they could fit to the airport before we were all washed away and dead from scurvy.

7. What an amazing experience traveling abroad with 7 middle-aged women!

Translation: We had to do something...more than half of us are 50!

8. We have 3 dogs, one who recently endeared herself to the neighbors by blitzing the rabbit hutch and murdering their rabbit by breaking her neck.

Translation: Ummm....no translation necessary here me thinks!

9. Mentioning your very HIGH VISA bill...10 times in two pages.

Translation: Coming from a family who took ELEVEN vacations last year...uhhh...sorry...not feeling sorry for you.

10. "Mom, is Santa or his elves watching me when I get dressed?" (She hates wearing underwear)

NOT something I would choose to share about my 3rd grader with ANYONE!

Okay, and I'm cheating for the last 3. Things I LOVED about the letters...

11. Pictures of all my friends, family and their kids.
12. The ones with all the vacation and true family news and updates.
13. Hearing at least once a year from people we would really like to keep in touch with but just live too far away to see often.

Maybe it's not such a good idea to send letters of this sort to the people in your life who really know what's going on!

Any exciting Christmas letter news you'd like to share?

Other Thursday Thirteens I've visited today!

  1. Raehan
  2. Momma K
  3. Leanne
  4. Happy Feet
  5. Uisce
  6. Colleen
  7. Catherine
  8. Jennifer
  9. Chickadee
  10. Lilybleu
  11. Angie

(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


It's Official....

9:00 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
I'm relaxed. We had a most wonderful Christmas...home alone...just the four of us for the first time in ...well ever. Last year there were 25 people here not including our 4. Years prior were spent switching holidays between my family and the hubs, but since his mom passed away a couple of years ago, his sister and her husband spend their Christmas feeding the hungry and elderly people in their community. We will celebrate with them the weekend after New Year's.

My brother and his daughter are close by and my sister and her family are in CO so we coordinate accordingly. This year everyone stayed home or went to visit their significant other's families. Next year we'll all be together again.

Our day was spent opening presents in shifts..after the J-Team came in at 6:45 and announced "It's almost light out! Get up!" We came down to remote control heaven (or hell as some might say!) We had gone to church the evening before so no need to get dressed. We played games, watched Christmas movies, made a fire, and munched all day. So much so that we didn't eat our Christmas dinner until yesterday because we weren't hungry!

Neighbors spent the day coming by sharing well wishes and food! Cookies mostly..yummy! We gave out bottles of wine this year. Usually I make some kind of signage or ornament with each families name on it..but no time this year. Next year on Christmas Eve I would like our family to exchange homemade gifts. I think it foster's creativity and really brings out the true meaning of Christmas, giving something of yourself that may not always be so easy.

We try not to hype up the present thing too much, and listen to our kids. They really only asked "Santa" for one thing each. We gave them four. I set a limit for each child moneywise this year and did not go over it. They cleaned out all of their "gently used" toys and gave them to the homeless shelter and their broken one were either fixed or thrown away. They each bought a toy for "Toys for Tots" and put it in the box at the local post office. And I think they both had a great Christmas. The pressure is off to be "good" for Santa and they have angels ever since.

Hope you all had a very peaceful and happy day. What was your favorite memory of the day?

Oh I Want A Strange Disease for Christmas....

10:03 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
Home again, home again jiggity-jig. Well, you ready for my lengthy description? Of course you are!!! This was my week...long...cause it's a whole week in one post...read on if you care to ;0)

Monday
7:30...leave house with little J and head to school to get the Parent breakfast set up...Hot Cider was a hit by the way and very simple

1/2 cup brown sugar
6 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 gallon apple juice
Mix in a crockpot and leave it on low. Done.

The Parish hall was a mess so we had to clean it all up first then set up our own stuff.
9:10 Kids start to come in. Get them ready with halos and shepards costumes for our Christmas pageant.
10-10:30 Pageant...worked out beautifully considering a bunch of 2,3, 4 and 5 year olds were involved and they only practiced once, without costumes because of the ice storm last week.
10:30-10:45 parents bring in wonderful gifts, kids give them theirs ...everyone goes home!

11:00 run off to J-man's school to do the Holiday Shoppe that was scheduled and cancelled the previous TH and F because of the ice storm and try to figure out how to send 700 kids through in a 7 hour period in a room that about 20x20.

2:45 With the help of some amazing people we actually did it!! We got all the kids through...they had a blast and left with surprise gifts for all of their family members. *Note to self...do this waaaayyyy earlier next year and allow at least 2 days...whewww!!

At this point I'm a little warm and my back is killing me. I felt a bit queasy but attributed it to PMS. I blame everything on that.....works for me!

By 3:30 I'm packing up what's leftover from the sale and not feeling the least bit happy. My friend Cheri offers to come over and help me count everything, tally and add invoices and box it up for shipment the next day. Great! I head to the principal's office ...I'm literally feeling delirious at this point and can't focus. Very strange...she give's me 3 advil and I head home with my boxes.

Cheri shows up at about 8 and we count and box everything...by the time she leaves I"m shivering so hard I can barely walk. I'm certain I have a fever at this point. Drag out the thermometer...real live glass one at that...nothing. Completely normal.

I take some Cold meds..attribute my shakes to doing waaaay too much in too little time and my body just telling me to stop...sounds reasonable enough right?

Nope.

Spent the WHOLE night shivering in and out of delirium...took my temp at about 3 in the morning and about bit the end off the thermometer...103. Took 4 Advil...went back to bed.

TUESDAY
Woke up and felt like a truck had run over me.
Drug myself to school loaded with Advil. Put the boxes in the office for UPS pickup...took Little J back home and fell asleep on the couch for 4 hours...well as much sleep as you can get with a 3 year old driving trucks up and down your head and legs and "tucking you in" and bring you a drink, and playing dr. and asking if you're still sick....

Mom and Dad came over around 2 to show me their new truck...very nice fully loaded Chevy 1500 with extended cab. I want to retire...

Stated feeling much better...fever was gone. I felt normal, but a little tired. I decided to keep my plans to go to my Christmas party that night..had a great time came home about 10 went to bed.

WEDNESDAY
Woke up in a panic because today I had 15 kids and their moms coming over for a cookie decorating party and I had NO COOKIES made. J-man's Holiday Choral Concert, that was yet again, cancelled due the ice storm, had been rescheduled to 10 a.m. THIS MORNING...we found out YESTERDAY at 3:00! One more monkey wrench...

Guess how many roll-out-cut-out sugar cookies you can make in one hour? Go on guess??? 4 dozen! Rolled, cut, baked, cooled and covered. Am I good or what?? AND I managed to clean my house in between timers...(picked everything up and threw it in a room upstairs and closed the door) vaccuumed, mopped the floor, cleaned the bathroom. Made it to school by 9:30 picked up the check to mail for the Holiday Shoppe, saw my son sing proudly "Bah Humbug, The Christmas Grump" and kept a quivering smile the whole time! He was beautiful ...if I can figure out how to get a bit of video posted I'll show you a little bit next week.

Left school, went to Food Lion to get drinks and glue. Ran back home, finished cleaning, and started setting up tables and food. Friends and kids started arriving about 12:30 and boys headed straight for the Playstation...

Oh well, the girls had a great time making ornaments and decoration cookies. Everyone left about 3-4 pm and Momma K graciously stayed to help me clean up. I'm really glad, because we didn't really have a chance to catch up in 4 hours she was there.

By the end of the evening, I was tired, but fine and hadn't taken any advil all day...no fever...although my glands were a little swollen. Ahhh...no biggie. I snuggled with the boys on the couch and watched The Grinch. Hubs worked late because of the show earlier. Nice day.

Thursday
Woke up feeling not so nice. Took more Advil. Better. Ran all kinds of errands and by 2 p.m. my throat felt like I had swallowed razor blades. Is this what Strep feels like? I don't know ...never had it...that's right folks...I have never in my life had Strep...I was told as a kid that I can carry the bacteria, but for whatever reason it doesn't affect me. I was certain that that wasn't the case. But, it's definately something. Called the hubs and asked if he would call the DR. and see if I could piggy back on his appt. just in case. Last thing I wanted was to give the kids something like that for Christmas.

FRIDAY
My Brother comes over to drop his dog off because he's going out of town...he informs me that he and his daughter (whom we spent last Sunday with ) have been sick with Strep all week. Hmmmmm.....maybe...nope ...I'm 38 years old...never had it ...can't get it....

went to the Dr. Drum roll please.....



I HAVE FREAKIN: STREP THROAT!!!!! Arghhh...antibiotics are my friend.

And ya know what? I can get strep..obviously. I feel horrible being around everyone all week and pray that no one else gets it. Bleh... Anyway...feeling much better now and I have...

OFFICIALLY finished all my Christmas cards. This is the absolute closest I've ever come to Christmas before getting them out. Lots of firsts for me this week.

Thanks for reading...mmmmwahhhh!

Merry Christmas Eve everyone ;0)

I'm Sick...

6:38 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I have a fever again from Monday...103. Will post more when I can hold my eyes open long enough. Dr. appt. tomorrow.

Peace.

Some Things You Should Know

7:32 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
  • Farts are not funny. Although in a house full of boys, this seems to be a losing battle. The dog is a girl, but when she farts she jumps sky high and acts like she has no idea where they came from. Wimp.
  • I've solved the Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays dilemma....these people have waaaaay too much time on their hands. I've said Merry Christmas to about a gazillion people this past month and only one has said "I don't celebrate Christmas, we're Jewish"...to which I perkily responded "Oh excuse me...Happy Hannukah." and they immediately said "Thank you and and Merry Christmas to you." To me that was a completely respectful and politically correct exchange of "Holiday Wishes". Don't cha think?? And it took oh about 15 seconds to figure out....problem solved.
  • The plural of "reindeer"....is "reindeer" not "reindeers"...no really it is! I'm NOT JOKING!!

Have a great day!

Dear Santa...I Want It All!

10:10 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
Ain't it the truth? Actually, the hubs asked me last night what I wanted for Christmas...Ummmm...uhhh...my kids to stop fighting?...a date with the hubby...a Nikkon D70s with wide angle and zoom lens??? I dunno ;0) I like giving more than getting. I would much rather get a note from a friend I haven't heard from in a long time or "time" to spend with someone special. I can 'buy" my own things...and usually it involves chocolate!

But I found this while looking through my baby book with my kids. I was the same age as my oldest son is now and apparently Mom sent my letter into the newspaper. I thought I'd share ... Happy Last Minute Shopping! We're off to celebrate with my parents and brother this weekend...so I'll see you all on Monday!

"Dear Santa,

I WIll Leave some COOKIES.

and MIlk for you. and some

carrots for the reineerders.

Iv,e ben a good girl This

weaK."

Works for me....

Snow Days....

3:10 PM Edit This 0 Comments »

Thirteen Things about J&J's Mom's House on a Snow Day
1. We get to sleep in.
2. Kid's never sleep in.
3. A cooked breakfast.
4. Kid's don't like cooked breakfasts...they'd rather eat cookies and drink coke because it's a "special occasion".
5. I don't have to deal with volunteers showing up for our Holiday Shoppe at school.
6. We have to cram 700 through the Holiday Shoppe in one day...I need to call them and see if I can extend our sale and not get charged for it!
7. Good news we're extended til Monday...hear that Momma K??.... you'll be partied out by Monday won't you?
8. The snow and ice didn't start til almost noon so I got some serious shopping done...gifts for the angel tree...Christmas party on Monday...Our annual cookie party...big mess...lots of fun!
9. Home to spend more time with my kids catching up on stuff...
10. More time to listen to them fight...let's clog the toilet with a "big poop" and not tell Mom....fun.
10. Time to wrap all the teacher gifts for next week...address Christmas cards...I totoally cheated this year. I ordered one of the premade photo cards from Sam's club...printed my stamps...printed my return address...and may print my address too...hey...their getting a family photo and a card at least!!
11. The guy my husband replaced retired. The hubs got a Christmas card from him. When he opened it, the guy had sent him a card he received last year, crossed all the writing out and signed it with this sentiment..."Money's tight life is hard...here's your damn Christmas card! ...Merry Christmas." Dave ;0) Totally kinding of course...we laughed ourselves silly.
12. I'm doing this instead of my Christmas cards.
13. The dog stinks...I think I'll go give her a bath...then do my cards...maybe.
Peace!
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


Ho! Ho! Ho! Who Wouldn't Go...

4:54 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
to the mall to visit Santa??? ME!! We went to the festival of lights called Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland and Santa was there!! Yay! The kids got to visit, we were able to enjoy the lights and a chilly walk after a HUGE dinner with the 'rents and it really

was a "Winter Wonderland" because of the snow from a couple of days ago!There were houses decorated with all kinds of chatch in the yard and on their houses directly across from the park...it may seem gaudy but I loved it. I can't imagine their electric bill!

We ended the evening with J-man saying:

"Mom...even if Santa wasn't there...I would definately sit on Mrs. Clauses' lap!"

Hooo doggies...I'm in trouble!

Christmas Songs Have a Purpose

1:20 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
For me, shopping for Christmas gifts is all in the spirit of the season. I spend months attempting (agonizing) to find the perfect gift for each family member and/or friend. I don't want lists. I don't make lists. I'm not a lister (nor a list maker) you get the point. I pay attention throughout the year and aim to buy (within reason) what someone would like and wouldn't necessarily buy themselves. Socks and underwear are not gifts people! They are neccessities! Unless, of course, you are my brother who actually ASKS for socks...but that's neither here nor there.

I would hope that, this would in turn, be reciprocated. I put my tree up day after Thanksgiving and don't take it down until the snow melts which usually is sometime in January...or when I'm tired of it. I decorate for "winter" for the most part and the Christmas related stuff comes down with the tree so the rest is seasonal.

I enjoy "the hustle and the bustle" of the season. BUT there are those who don't. And there are TIMES I don't, and that's why I think Christmas carols were invented. EVERY SINGLE TIME I hear a Christmas song, I feel better. I am reminded why everyone and their mother is cussing and swearing and frustrated and driving like a maniac ...

...and I slow down. It's not my problem (unless of course they crash into me) and I'm not going to take it personally. My favorite Christmas song of all time is Carol of the Bells. Christmas music makes me happy. It brings back childhood memories of shopping all day with my mom and dad and then getting special treats or going out to eat. Then we'd come home and have marathon wrapping session the next day. Dad always made eggnog and we eat cookies til we were sick. Then we'd sit around and watch movies like AChristmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life, The Grinch.

I think Christmas Carol's were invented to make people happy, to remember what Christmas was all about.

That's why what follows is so funny. We were listening to a homemade CD from a friend. It had Shrek's Christmas, 12 Days of Christmas, All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth, I Want a Hippopotomus for Christmas and everyone's favorite....

Yogi Bear's Christmas...It goes a little something like this...

I know a bear that you wont know, Yogi, Yogi,
I know a bear that you wont know, Yogi Yogi bear.
Yogi Yogi bear!! Yogi Yogi bear!!
I know a bear that you wont know, Yogi Yogi bear.

Yogi's got a girlfriend bear, Suzie, Suzie,

Yogi's got a girlfriend bear, Suzie Suzie bear.
Suzie Suzie bear!! Suzie Suzie bear!!
Yogi's got a girlfriend bear, Suzie Suzie bear.

Suzie she likes whips and chains, kinky, kinky,
Suzie she likes whips and chains, she's kinky bear.
Shes's kinky bear!! she's kinky bear!!
Suzie likes whips and chains, she's kinky bear.

Suzie shaves her pubic hairs, grizzly, grizzly,
Suzie shaves her pubic hairs, she's a grizzly bear.
She's a grizzly bear!! She's a grizzly bear!!
Suzie shaves her pubic hairs, she's a grizzly bear.

Oops! It only get raunchier from there... I think someone didn't quite listen to all of the dowloaded songs closely. Thank God we caught it in time before the kids realized what was going on. Ha! Yogi has had an interesting Christmas.

I'm late as per usual...but here are the

5:15 PM Edit This 0 Comments »

Thirteen Things that erroneously ended up in J&J's Mom's post today.



My world is full of contradictions. So, I've decided to give you my top 13 things that I love and hate all at the same time and why. Let's start with bad and end on a positive note shall we?

1. My children sleeping...because they are growing and dreaming of a life that's to come, a life that doesn't include me everyday. Good for all the same reasons.
2. Walks with my dog in the morning after it rains...it's morning, it's damp and everything smells that way, mud puddles, muddy feet/paws. Good for all the same reasons.

3. Large Dunkin' Donuts coffee with 3 creams and 3 sugars...molten hot, 7000 calories and tastes too good not to drink. Good for all the same reasons.

4. Hub's out of town... kids running, screaming, fighting, playing 24/7. No break until they go to bed and then I end up watching t.v. or reading blogs til one in the morning. Good for all the same reasons. Are you getting the idea here?

5. Thomas the Tank Engine, Caillou, Blues Clues, Dora etc...on t.v. every chance they get! It's all my kids want to watch! Good for the same reason.

6. My house consistently looks as if a tornado hit it....I can't clean it as often as I would like because I'm running kids here and there, cooking dinner, doing homework, they've drug out toys to play trucks together for the millionth time. Good for all the same reasons.

7. Getting my haircut and highlighted...I have to make the appt 3 months in advance, then drive 250 miles to stay with my friend and ask her to watch my boys while I spend 3 hours getting my hair done. Good for all the same reasons ;0)

8. Watching the news... I know what's going on in the world, I have to watch my children like a hawk and make sure they know what's going on too. They can't live in a bubble as much as I would like them too. There are people in this world who are just bad and there is no other explanation, all we can do is pray that justice prevails and what goes around comes around. Good for all the same reasons.

9. We own our own home... we're always fixing, adding or ripping out something. Always spending the extra money we have on something for the house; furniture, fencing, pool toys etc. Having to have get togethers here because we live so far from our friends, and having to defend my messy house because people have a tendancy to "drop by" out of the blue. Good for all the same reasons!

10. Christmas hustle and bustle, buying that perfect gift for someone, decorating, spending way too much money, cold air and crazy crowds at the mall. Good for all the same reasons!

11. Writing Christmas cards and handwriting each card with everything that's been going on for the past year with our now 5 member family. Good for all the same reasons.

12. Snow...need I say more?

13. Sharing all these things with you so that I can wait with baited breath for you to share yours with me! Okay, just your top 2. So there's no bad to this one, and I probably won't hold my breath for obvious reasons, but I would be interested to know. Please share!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

  1. 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)
  2. Better Safe Than Sorry


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

And I'm a Morning Person!

7:47 AM Edit This 0 Comments »

Let It Snow...Let It Snow...Let It Snow!!

10:10 AM Edit This 0 Comments »

First decent snow fall of the year and me with out my camera! I left it at school..ooops! The kids have been outside since 8 a.m. Perfect snow play day...warm in the sunshine but temperatures hovering around freezing so not a lot melting and me with a day off unexpectedly! I plan to get all this loverly decorating finished and clean my house...of course it's 10 a.m. and I'm sitting here on the computer waiting for the coffee to finish... not in a big hurry. I've had 3 phone calls from people already this morning asking me to watch their kids. I have a tendency not to answer when these folks call because they are of the group that only call or speak to us when they want something. Normally I am a generous person and would happily do what I can for my fellow neighbor, but if that's the ONLY time you intend to speak to me and even worse don't even attempt to reciprocate...not gonna happen. Usually I don't even answer the phone when these certain someone's call, but I have a very capable six year old who fortunately and not so fortunately let me sleep in this morning, made himself and his brother breakfast, played games with his younger sibling and ...answers the phone. Oh well, can't have it all I 'spose. Guess I'd better not make a liar out of myself and try to get something done. Have a great day!

Word to the Wise: Don't eat yellow snow.

Crazy Christmas Weekend

5:25 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
Well, the parades are finished, shopping is done. All in all the choas we call Christmas this time of the month was pretty bearable. I hit Walmart on a Saturday afternoon and came out in 15 mins unscathed! Walmart is the best invention on the planet... regardless of what you're looking for, if they have it, it's cheaper than anywhere else, toys, food, necessities...sometimes clothing, but I'm a little pickier in that dept. Hmmmm...how do I say this....I like to shop at Walmart but I don't want to look like I shop at Walmart. Get it?

I even got a primo spot right up front! Mom and I went to the outlet mall to look for a leather coat for me..I ended up with 2 for the price of one! The same coat was full price at the non-outlet sista and hour south of here. Whoda Thunk? I also bought the most beautiful purple leather purse and wallet and told the hubs he didn't have to buy me anything from the boys ;0) All in two hours time. Well worth it.

The parade yesterday was a bit more stressful...it was really cold and long but all in all a good time...at least until we saw the carriage carrying Santa and Mrs. Claus carreening down mainstreet while being pulled by four runaway Clydesdales.

Apparently all that came out of my mouth was "omigodomigodomygodgohelp!!" The Hubs jumped out of the van as the back left horse fell and skidded up underneath the carriage, all I could think of was that the carriage and all it's precious cargo were about to go flipping and flying down the road. My friend Erin was on the other side of the road calling 911 and yelled for me to drive over to the fire dept to get help...bunch of good ol' boys sitting around..."Well, why don't we go take a lookie and see what we got..."

Here let me light a fire under your ass to give you a jump start...price you pay for living in Podunkdom...I 'spose. Thank God none of the flipping and flying happened only skidding and stopping. The Clauses were fine...just a little freaked and the horse...was a bit scratched up but as far as we know fine as well.

Made for an exciting day.

Now I just have to wrap everything...bleh.

Momentary Lapse of Reasoning

4:12 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
Thirteen Things that erroneously ended up in J&J's Mom's post today.

1… Okay...sorry about that. Aliens have temporarily taken over my body.

2. This whole week has been a frenzy of disorganization. I totally flew by the seat of my pants this week at school...I had no plans, and just went with it. It worked!~! I plan to do exactly that from now on. I'm wingin' it. My plan is that I have no plan.

3. I'm not closing up shop, I will keep all situations hypothetical and if someone takes offense, well then maybe that's a good thing.

4. Introspection is good for the soul every once in a while.

5. My posts may be sporadic but I will not let more that two days go by without saying something. You all are so good for my brain...and it's also nice to know I'm not the only one feeling like this.

6. I'm off to join the craziness that is Christmas shopping tomorrow and I still need to bake a decorate 3 dozen cookies for a wine and cheese party/cookie exchange Saturday afternoon. J-man has a parade earlier in the day and it's supposed to snow. Should be interesting!!

7. Christmas cards? What are they?

8. I heard from my third grade teacher..she sends my boys presents every Christmas. She's the best!! I'm very worried about the year I don't get card but a call. She's in Boston. She's almost 80.

9. My hubby is the greatest and smart ta boot...I gave him 4 people to shop for. All men. He went on line last night and in 5 minutes bought all 4 gifts. 15 million watt table top spotlights. Done.

10. It's so not fair.

11. I've been shopping for 3 months.

12. I'm still not done.

13. I've just made the Thursday 13!!! Whoda thunk?

Thanks for all the support guys. It means a lot.


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

2. Momma K

3. Shelli

4. Raehan

5. Barbara

6. Holly

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


Ya know...Stream of Conscientiousness

4:48 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I thought this would be easier. I'm finding that when I turn on this computer, I'm not feeling funny, nor witty, nor bitchy, or anything for that matter. I just don't feel like talking. If I do, I want to whine..and I should be able to do just that, but then I have to be careful what I say so I don't piss anyone off. I've half a mind to close this blog and start all over with a new identity. To become anonymous again...of course I would tell a select few where I am...but it's becomong very difficult to say what I really want to without hurting people. I don't want to speak in code and I don't want to create hypothetical situations. I just want to say what I want to say...but then that's not terribly realistic is it? I've lost readership because I've been a slacker...but then again...this blog has come full circle for me. I used to care about who read what, when and how many times a day. When I started I had all day to read and write and was OBSESSED and now I'm just ....not. The pendulum has swung in the opposite direction...partially because I'm tired...this year has been a difficult one for me with teaching and my leadership roles, and some days I just don't want to. I get home and I'm talked out..or just want to sit and watch t.v. My house is a disaster area and should be condemned...there's still so much to do for the holiday's and I have a ton of great ideas swimming around in my head...I just can't seem get myself organized enough to write them all down. I love this job more than anything I've ever done. I love getting up in the morning and going into work and molding young minds. I'm good at it dammit! Thank God it's only part time!!

This year was a bad one to start all these life changes, but then I guess I'm one to keep life exciting!

Maybe I'm just bored...I never managed to stay with one thing too long. It'll be a year in February since I've met all of you. I do love blogging but I feel like I've lost my purpose, I guess...I don't know.

Remember the pedastal those people who hired me put me on? Well I think I fell off. Maybe it's just the holidays...maybe it's just the rain. Maybe it's PMS who the hell knows. I don't know what I'm going to do...

Things to Do When You're Bored...

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...at work




....with waaaayyyy too much...


.....time on your hands!

Happy Thanksgiving

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I'll be back on Monday. Have a safe and happy turkey day!

Click here for a special Thanksgiving Day greeting....

Be Careful What You Pray For...

4:21 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I was in church yesterday morning and I said a little prayer. I have been getting all kinds of compliments for the work I've been doing both at school and for the PTO. So my prayer was to basically keep me humble.

Father read the Gospel and started his sermon. "We need to learn Humility. We pray for the Lord to keep us humble in times like these. But be careful if you pray this prayer because I guarantee you, within the next 24 hours, you will get a lesson in humility." Uhhhhh......okay. My ears perked right on up.

24 hours huh? Wow.

So, when I came home. I cleaned my van, went to a friends house for a playdate and came home again to do some beloved blog reading. I only read this one and had to stop. I couldn't read through the tears, but I did learn something...there was my lesson in humility.

I've been so crazy busy and making excuses for not blogging like I could, should would if I had more time, made it a priority, what have you and then I read this...

(I will resume posting in about a week.)

This hilariously creative man just lost the love of his life to a dreadful degenerative disease and he will resume posting in about a week???

Put's life in perspective doesn't it?

I am busy, and I do love blogging, but sometimes I just run out of time or am to lazy or tired to write about anything. I'm not making anymore excuses..life's too short. But, I will keep up things like friendships and family committments, things that have been going by the wayside because of my schedule. I love all of you and reading keeps my brain constantly thinking. So, though it won't be as regular as I have been, I will keep up ;0)

Please drop by Hoss' place if you can and give him a big ol' cyber hug.

Peace.

What Do You Know About Marshmallows?

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I was having a "Full Freaky Friday". Yeah, that's what I call the day before a Full Moon. This really happened on Wednesday, but then my saying would lack alliteration and sound funny...

So, I had a parent filling in for my Assistant on Wed. She used to be a teacher herself and we worked together beautifully. I seem to have gotten the reputation of being "the messy teacher" and today was no exception. We were painting leave with fabric paints, pressing them onto t-shirts in a semi-circular pattern to make tails and bodies for turkey's. When that dried, we were going to paint the outside of their fists red and brown to make the turkeys head and waddle. At the other table we were coloring cornucopia's and cutting them out to put on our Thanksgiving Fest placemats. So for the time being we had 10 kids at one table once again. (oh, I have recently acquired another table to spread these guys out to give them some space)... basically a very cramped situation...and I don't know what it was like weatherwise where you live on Wed. but here it was 75 degrees and the school had the heat on!

So, we were hot, messy and sportin' some serious ADD behavior. No one was listening, everyone was doing whatever they wanted and whining "I can't do anymore." "I'm tired." "When are we going outside?" "I'm hungry".

Oye. It was also getting ready to storm so I changed our routine, which apparently also threw everyone off, and we went outside to play before the deluge of rain hit us.

Wednesday's are out Wacky Snack days. A parent brings in a special snack that has to do with the month's/week's theme. This one happened to be about our color: Brown and our shape: Square. Everyone came back in to a "messy" snack of graham crackers, marshmallow and chocolate. S'mores if you will.

Now, we are a peanut free class room. I have one little boy who is allergic to peanuts, eggs, strawberries, and just nuts in general. He also suffers from Eczema. He has Rice Krispie treats to eat when we have anything that might have eggs in it (ie. cake, cupcakes, cookies...etc.). He is also an only child and very young for his age. Whenever he doesn't want to do something he bursts into tears, screams for his Mom and throws the world's biggest temper tantrum.

This happens just about everyday.

Today was no exception.

We sat down for circle time and almost immediately he starts. "Mrs. Miller, my mouth hurts.

"Okay sweetie, why don't you go get a drink of water."
"Mrs. Miller, I want my Mommy!!"
And so it begins.

I managed to get the kids started on their projects and tried to take him out into the hall. He wasn't having it. I asked him everything under the sun... I even thought that maybe he was sick and he just couldn't express it. But there was nothing he ate that he hasn't had before. He didn't have any hives, his mouth was fine, he was red in all the normal places and certainly itching more from the heat, but all else was fine.

My director ended up taking him out of the room calming him down and bringing him back. He made his shirt, and when it was time to come sit and color, he started with the Mommy thing all over again.

I plopped him in the chair, he rolled out. I sat him outside the door, he got up and stood right behind me. All the while screaming at the top of his lungs he wanted his Mommy. I finally moved him over to the rug and told him to play puzzles, and left him screaming. I was not going to give him any more attention. I went on with our activity and after about 5 minutes he started to calm down.

Next thing I knew he was coughing, got up from the carpet and was standing right behind me...I turned around and he threw up ...just missed my shoes.

Great.

I continued to hold onto him while he puked his guts out. My helper for the day is a Sympathy Puker so she kept the kids while I cleaned up my friend and the floor. Thankfully his mom was in the parking lot and was able to come and take him. She then told me he had been to Chuck E Cheese for the first time the night before and that he was complaining before school of a belly ache.

I felt awful. Something still wasn't right. When I got home, I told my mom what had happened and then she asked about the marshmallow. Were they marshmallow's or marshmallow Fluff?? Huh?

Did you know marshmallow fluff is made with ...egg whites? Me neither and apparently, neither did this child's mother.

Not 10 minutes later, the mom called me with that exact question. And sure enough that was what made him sick. Okay so now I'm the world's worst teacher...or so I thought until the next day when I heard.....

"I want my Mommy!!!"

I want to throw up....I'd just move ...

5:49 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
or sue or sue then move...something. We've got to stand up people...read on.

Here's the link if you'd rather read it from the horse's mouth....

9th Circuit 'Declares War' on Parental Rights
by Pete Winn, associate editor

Ultraliberal court makes outrageous ruling which dismisses the right of parents to challenge what their children are taught.

A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has told parents with children in California’s Palmdale School District they have no rights when it comes to what their children are being taught — nor do they even have the right to take action against anything they might object to.

"This decision declares war on parental rights," said Liberty Counsel President Mat Staver. "It essentially says that parents have no rights. Once you drop your kids off at school — according to this court's decision — you have severed all of your parental rights until you pick your kids up at the end of the day. But while they're in the public school's jurisdiction, there are no parents, according to this decision."

The Palmdale parents filed suit alleging the school had interfered with their constitutional rights by surveying their elementary-age children without disclosing that the survey contained personal questions about sex.
Writing for the unanimous panel, Appellate Judge Stephen Reinhardt said "there is no fundamental right of parents to be the exclusive provider of information regarding sexual matters to their children . . ."

Further, in the court's opinion, ". . . parents have no due process or privacy right to override the determinations of public schools as to the information to which their children will be exposed while enrolled as students."

Staver said the court had the audacity to say that parents may have a fundamental right to decide whether to send their child to a public school, but they do not have a fundamental right to direct how that school teaches their child.

"That's just outrageous," he said. Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the American Family Association Center for Law and Policy, said prior to administering the survey, the district mailed a letter to the parents of the children, who ranged in age from 7 to 10.

But the letter, he said, simply described the survey as establishing "a community baseline measure of children’s exposure to early trauma."
"The letter," Fahling said, "did not disclose that, of the 79 questions, the children would be asked 10 questions rating areas such as: touching my private parts, thinking about having sex, having sex feelings in my body and can’t stop thinking about sex.

Staver was explosive in his disgust.

"Understand that these are 7-year-old children that are being asked intrusive and controversial and inappropriate questions about sexual behavior," Staver said. "And this judge says, 'That's OK.' Well, it's not OK!"

Fahling said the decision puts the schools firmly in control.

"The court has held that once parents send their children to public schools the children are essentially guinea pigs that the school may do with as they please," he said.
Fahling also said the judge didn't rely upon law for his decision — he cited a few cases and tried to make them fit his predetermined conclusions.
"The court failed even to consider the deception of the school in failing to disclose that the children would be exposed to questions about sex," he said.
Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst for Focus on the Family Action, called the ruling "an egregious example of judicial tyranny."
"Unless it's corrected, the entire future of public education and the rights of parents are in severe jeopardy," he said.
Hausknecht noted that Reinhardt is the same judge who ruled the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional in the case brought by atheist Michael Newdow.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called the 9th Circuit "a bastion of goofy decisions."

"If it's not the parents talking to their children about such sensitive matters, who is it?" Graham asked rhetorically. "And what body has the right to trump a parent? What institution in this country, school or otherwise, has a greater right to provide information to a child than the parent? That's what's wrong with our courts.

"Courts are not elected officials. They should not become mini-legislators. They should not become the culture-setters in the country. They should follow the law. And there's nothing in the law, written anywhere in the country, that says that there's an institution greater than the parent when it comes to talking about sex."

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., agreed that parents have the responsibility of being the primary educators of their children.

"Parents have a right to know and to decide what their young children are being exposed to by the schools regarding sex education," he said.
Hausknecht said this decision certainly underscores the importance of putting judges like Samuel Alito on the bench — judges who are originalists and who understand the role of a judge is to interpret the law.

"Up to this point, parents have been walking around assuming that their children are still their children while they're in school," Hausknecht said. "But this is a wake-up call that Big Brother has other ideas for your children."

Meanwhile, Staver said there has been talk of breaking up the huge 9th Circuit and creating a new court, or perhaps two. The 9th covers most of the western U.S. and has the heaviest caseload of any of the appeals courts. Splitting it up would be a good idea, he said, not only because it's the largest, but because it's also the most liberal.

"It is the most reversed court, bar none, in the country," Staver said. "Hopefully, if this case is appealed to the Supreme Court, the 9th Circuit will be reversed one more time."
TAKE ACTION:Please contact your members of Congress, and tell them that we need judges who will neither legislate from the bench nor usurp the rights of parents. Especially, tell your senators that it is important to give President Bush's latest Supreme Court nominee, Samuel Alito, a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote.


All you Californians out there, please tell me this isn't what it seems. That the world isn't coming to this... excuse me while I go throw up. We've got to take a stand.

Act of Conscience? Or not...

3:08 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I hit a car in the parking lot this weekend and left.....











....a note! Got ya. Seriously though...I did...leave a note that is. It was a crowed mall parking lot on Saturday and I was with Mom and J-man #2. I of course, was meeting the Hubs (right behind me) with number #1 son and tried to pull into a space that was too narrow for my van. I crunched the bumper as I was almost in the spot.

Damn. Looked like a brand new car too....someone was going to be pissed. I left my name, # and apology underneath the wiper blade and went inside to eat. What else could I do?

Then, my mind started to spin...what if someone just picked up the note ...they would have my name and my home number. Of course, I was kicking myself for being so paranoid, but what if?

When I got back out to the car, it was still there. The car and the note. I took the not back, left only my first name and my cell phone number. I then wrote down the make and model of the car and the license #. Just to CMA. I hate that I had to be so careful, but thankful that I had the forethought to do so.

As of now...no call.

As an afterthought, I started to think...well no one saw me. I could've gotten away scott free! Fleeting thought mind you, and I would've felt guilty as Hell if I hadn't done something.

But what if? Do you believe in what goes around, comes around?

C'mon...confess. I won't tell ;0)

Where'd It Go Mommy?

2:20 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
Had a blast Friday night in Petroville. Momma K threw a big ol' bash at the Ritz for her hubby's 35th. We learned to play Texas Hold 'em and funny thing about funny money...every time I ran out...the dealer kept giving me more! Makes losing a whole lot less painful!! We dranks lot's o' vino and ate yummy food. Momma K looked totally hot...not that she doesn't normally in her jazzercise wear, but the heels and coctail dress really do make a girl ;0) As I was listening to introductions by her family members...this is what it sounded like..'Hi, I'm Cowgirl Up do you bl**?" "Hi, I'm Unga Chunga. Are you a bl**ger?" CRACKED ME UP!!! We live in our own little world here in Bl*gville. Yes we do. And we're damn proud too!

Anyway...my head was killing me as the evening wore on from that lovely sinus infection I'm ignoring and the next day...my voice started to go. Today...it's gone. My kids were yelling upstairs for me and I couldn't yell back...awww darn! They couldn't hear me! Funny thing...they both started to whisper after that. Hmmmm....maybe I'm on to something here.

Anyway, J-man #2 says. "Mommy are you sick?"
"No buddy, I just lost my voice."
"Oh. Well where did you lose it?"
"I don't know honey. I just woke up this morning and it was gone."
"Well Mommy, I'll make you a deal. You think about where you last saw it and when we get home from church I'll help you look for it okay?"

1....2....3.... Awwww! ;0)

Where Does the time Go?

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I don't know how long I can keep up this pace. Things need to slow down soon or I might just konk out. Today was the first day I haven't had to set foot out of the house. I clean my bathroom with a sponge on my hands and knees...did 6 loads of laundry dusted all the shelving upstairs, cleaned out the boys closets and dressers, washed and changed all the sheets, washed walls and I'm still not finished. I think I have a sinus infection which makes bending over pretty damn painful and we just can't seem to get over these colds!! I keep meaning to take a break from life and just come down here and type but I see some mess that needs to be cleaned up, or a phone call that needs to be made or it rings, or someone needs something. It's never ending.

Got a phone call from a close friend this morning who says we've both been really busy and need to make a concerted effort to get together...I totall agree but when?? Her daughter doesn't get home until almost 4:30 and by the time home work is done, it's time to get dinner started, eat, bathed and bed. I know my social life is suffering but I don't want to stress over it either. Things are getting much easier and now that my house is finally clean, I can think better too! Thank God I don't have to worry about laundry.

This cool little thing happens every Wednesday when I leave for work. I come home and all my laundry is done!! That's right the Laundry Fairy comes in the form of my mother every Wednesday!! Thank God too because I would be buried at the point if it weren't for her. Now if I can just figure out where she keeps her magic wand.....

We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.

2:46 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
So said ~Franklin D. Roosevelt 32nd president of US (1882 - 1945) and I believe him.

I'm doing something right and here's how I know...

Yesterday was to begin with a mad dash to the store to exchange some clothes, J-man #2 in tow, while the hubs took J-man #1 to a local boy scout event. They were supposed to deliver bags to houses in our area to collect food for the needy for Thanksgiving. We were then going to meet at J-man's soccer game at noon and then I was to take both boys to a birthday party at 2. BUT, the pack that went to another town took all the bags with them, so boy scouts was cancelled...the hubs decided to take both boys to the park then the game and gave me cart blanche with the credit card 'til the birthday party time! Wahoooo!!!

Mad shopping ensued as I found that the store I had been at 1 day prior was having a 50% off sale until 1 p.m.!! I handed over my receipt from the previous day and voila $87.52 back on my credit card (actually mom's...;0) MORE SHOPPING!!! I was like a kid in a candy store, picking up all kinds of stuff for Christmas for dirt cheap! For example, I found J-man a Spider Man winter coat originally $60 for $24! Not bad me thinks.

SO, when I got home I was in a great mood ready for the birthday party which turned out to be quite chaotic, but the kids had fun. A few kids from our neighborhood were there, but most of the kids I knew from working with the PTO. One little boy in particular walked up to me and apparently couldn't get my attention so he yanked on my shirt and said...

"Excuse me! Hi Mrs. President!"

I figure if I can get all the kids saying that now I should be able to run by 2016 or so and win hands down. Gotta get 'em while their young ;0)

A Love Story

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I will seek and find you...
I shall take you to bed and have my way with you.
I will make you ache, shake and sweat until you moan and groan.
I will make you beg for mercy, beg for me to stop.
I will exhaust you to the point that you will be relieved when I'm
finished with you.
And, when I am finished with you, you will be weak for days.


All my love,





The Flu

Now, stop dreaming and go get your flu shot!







Let the Candy Hoarding Ensue!

12:00 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Be safe everyone...remember to watch
out for the little buggers!

It's Done!!!

4:30 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I actually came home from J-man's soccer game to day to NO MESSAGES on my phone. Blissfully quiet around here... I'm freezing my a$$ off...but it's quiet. Last night was a huge success funwise...maybe not so much moneywise...but all went very smoothly. My lovely friend Lisa from Design-a-Blog has been busily designing some festive skins for me this week while all my craziness is happening so check them out!! My winter one has put me in the mood to go shopping!! Hmmmmm....wonder why?

School is fabulous. If I can figure out how to post a short movie from my camera you can see me acting in our short skit of The Scarecrow's Hat. I was the Badger (hick from Alabama)...I have no idea what came over me but I fell into this southern drawl-shaky-witchlike voice thing. Whatever, the kids laughed...me too ;0)

I have to get my scanner working to post some more Key West pictures from Fantasy Fest and my honeymoon. I haven't forgotten...just a little late.

It's good to be back! Til tomorrow then!
Peace.

Hack..cough...gag!

7:29 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
Ever notice how any emotion can be defined by "choking"? When you're sad, you get "choked up", when you're scared it feels as if someone is "choking you", when you're angry you want to "choke someone". When you're excited or happy ...well okay, maybe no choking issues there but you get the picture. Everyone here in the past week, EXCEPT me, has been choking in some fashion. The Hubs had strep and was choking on flem, J-man had an -itis of some sort, not really bronchitis or tonsilitis but coughing -itis nonethe less. He was home from church and school last Sunday and Monday coughing like a seal and a low grade fever. None of the over the counter meds worked so we headed to the Pediatrician. The doctor gave him a steroid for swollen bronchials and a cough expectorant with codeine to help him sleep!! Yay! Then....

J-man #2 started with a spiked fever on Wed and we ended up in Urgent Care at 7 p.m that night with his tonsils so swollen and fever so high they told us to sleep with him in case he stopped breathing and to call 911 if that happened. Thanks!!! It turned out to be the same virus as his brother but he had the infection. Still no idea what it was just that his throat was almost completely blocked and he could barely breathe.

We are all fine now. On the road to recovery and my stress level will come waaaay down after next Friday's Halloween Festival. We've already brought in over $5000 in raffle ticket and candle sales and we haven't even had the Festival yet! My head is swimming with things I need to keep up on, but still managing to stay sane. I just can't wait to have my life back!

Hoping to have some time tomorrow to visit everyone. Our 11th anniversary is today so I will hopefully have some time to write about our meeting, wedding and honeymoon. We spent it at Fantasy Fest in Key West which has been cancelled this year until Wilma passes through. Our friends down there are locals and staying weather the storm...so please keep them in your prayers. Thanks! Peace.

Damn I'm good...

2:26 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
my stress was for not. I am embarrassed to say, that I was a victim of hearsay. I finally decided to stop listening to all the gossip and go straight to the horses mouth. I asked the principal what the meeting was about today. She told me these two women were coming to talk to her about and afterschool program!! Not boycotting the fundraisers! AAACCKK!

I was so embarrassed and felt really stupid. I apologized to the Principal and called the parent in question. I should've trusted my gut about her, she was mortified when I told her what had happened. In the beginning of the conversation she was telling me how many people including herself, threw all of the most recent forms and letters straight into the trash can...by the end of the conversation I had her heading up the Spring Fling at the end of THIS year to raise money for the beginning of next year and new playground equipment!!!

This was the same woman who said she was going to tell everyone not to come to the Halloween Festival because it sucked so bad last year,( it didn't, but that's beside the point) and she ended our conversation saying this year's festival would be a great hit, she'd donate time and bake sale items and whatever else she could do to help!

It's done thank God!

~~~~~~~
No Angie I don't dislike you because you don't like the PTO. If I had to do it again..I wouldn't get involved either!! It's not an easy job and I don't envy anyone this position. If anyone has a good idea on how to get every single parent to donate $20- $50 to the school. Let me know!! I want to know why the county didn't budget for a new playground, flagpole and updated library for the school as well. We were K-1 and are turning K-5. A lot of our teachers are switching grade levels and no one knows the exact occupancy date of our newly renovated school. In the meantime..our principal is not focusing on this year..she's leary of spending any money in order to save it for next year. Well what about the kids that are here now? We have $ I'm spending it on the kids. That's what all this crap was about in the first place!!

I'm not taking anything else personally. You all gave me some excellent advice. Thanks I will take it to heart.

+++++

It's been raining for over a week now. Do people hibernate? I can't seem to wake up!

++++
I just realized it's Thursday..I'm supposed to do my Thursday 13. Oh well, maybe next week!

++++

I'm Going to Implode...or say something really horrible..

9:43 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
just don't piss me off!! I'm a very patient person. I will do anything you "ask" me to ...but "tell" me and my defenses go up. Pick a fight and I will win...not without a lot of tears and blood shed first though.

Did I mention I'm PTO President this year? Yeah, well, it never ceases to amaze me the lengths people will go to to prove their way is the right way or the best way or the only way.

For those of you who may not know. PTO stands for Parent-Teacher-Organization. We have a board of 9 people and two teacher representatives. Myself and the V.P are the only two members left from last year's board. NO ONE...not a single solitary person from last years group of parents offered to join the board this year. All our new members are Kindergarden parents. (our particular elementary school is only K-1..but that's another story). We sent out nomination sheets last year and 2 out of 220 came back. The V.P and I were those two people. So...anyone and everyone who wanted to change, bitch, support...yada...yada...yada this fine group of people, had every opportunity to do so. Did they? Nope.

Not until recently. Two parents showed up at our meeting last Monday night and brought down the house. Where is our money going? Why are we buying little candy crap for teachers when they need classroom supplies, who needs spirit wear, why are you buying things for the library when they should get that stuff from the county. They called me at 7:30 yesterday morning (holiday for me btw) to ask for a "prospectus of last years expenditures"' You wanna whosie whatis from huh?

Okay, first off. I don't do well when I can't answer things knowledgeably. Second, I was IMMEDIATELY put on the defensive which put me into a highly emotional state and fuzzed my brain so I couldn't think. I don't know the answers to half these questions and wait...everything we are doing is supposed to be helping our teachers and kids not pissing people off right.? And third, why me? It's only freakin' October this is our FIRST meeting that parents were invited to!!

Basically they want a breakdown of what we made last year, where we made it and what we spent it on. They want to boycott all fundraisers. Huh? And we are supposed to make money how?

My head is spinning...I can't help but take this personally because I'm the one leading the pack so to speak. BUT had ANYONE called me about ANY of this? No. I'm hearing this from people who care about me and are concerned that I'm going to be buried alive by this woman. She's meeting with the principal on Thursday.

As far as I'm concerned, until I hear from the principal herself, it's not my deal. I just need to find a way to become emotionally unattached. Knowing me I'll either start to scream and cry or say something really bitchy, sarcastic and mean. Both of which are not good things.

Part of me just wants to offer up the job and say "Here, if you think you can do a better job, have at it."

But you know something? I don't really think she can, nor does she want to. I have not yet heard of a single thing that might be a solution to our problem of 3 fundraisers in October.

And for those of you who want to jump on me about that...let me explain. We do all our fundraisers, except for one in the Fall, so we have all our $ up front to fund the programs and field trips for our kids. The county pays for one a year...that's it. We do a candle fundraiser where we make $2.25 on every one we sell..they are $7 a piece. We do a notecard fundraiser that comes out early so that families can have them to use as Christmas cards or gifts. Your child draws a picture on a card and they are sent away to be printed. Your end result is a set of cards with your kids artwork on them. Great gift idea. And finally this Halloween Festival, in which we have vendors, a Haunted House, a silent auction, a live auction, dinner, a concert, games and prizes. Tickets are $4 a piece, max $12 for a family. Bake sale items are for sale as well as food. Everything else is included in the price of the ticket. That's it.

We need a lot of volunteers and donations. Local businesses donate items and $ as well. It's a lot of fun and we make a ton of $.

That's it. Done until May. ALL STRICTLY VOLUNTARY!!! You don't have to buy a damn thing! You could also just write a check for a particular amount and be done!

If I thought people would write us a check for $50 and be done for the year that would be fantastic. We wouldn't have to do fundraising or all of this work. But that will never happen. I am so open to new ideas, but no one wants to be supportive at this point they just want to tear it all down. They want it THEIR way without any of the work that goes along with it.

I know this is just one parent out of many, but this is a small town and even though we're a board of many. I'm in charge and it's me they will blame when things go wrong. I just don't know what to do. I know I can't make everyone happy, but it pisses me off that one can get to me like this. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Thanks to all of you friends that have virtually and realistically listened to my rants. Your advice is taken to heart and I will do my best not to let you down.
Peace.

Good News...Bad News

7:46 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I'm an optimist so I'll start with the bad news first.

Bad News: My friend Scott's mom lost her battle with cancer this weekend.
Good News: She's finally at peace.

Bad News: My car failed inspection
Good News: I'm getting new brakes.

Bad News: The Halloween Festival is only 2 weeks away and I'm hyperventilating.
Good News: I found someone to do our Haunted House!

Bad News: We spent 4 hours in Urgent Care this weekend because my hubs had a 103 fever
Good News: He has strep throat and was able to get antibiotics right away. And head to the Bahamas for work today feeling almost 100%.

Bad News: The hubs is in the Bahamas...without me with a bunch of Texas swimsuit models.
Good News: They are whiney and too high maintenance for him!

Bad News: Today, my day off is almost over and I still have planning to do for the coming weeks.
Good News: I only have a two day week to plan for because we have a field trip to the pumpkin patch on Thurs and we had today off!

Bad News: My sister and her husband came in from The Rockies for a week long visit to PA not VA. Time share deal, see the colors and hike a bit.
Good News: They made the six hour drive down here yesterday just to see us!

Bad News: Momma K and I went to lunch today and she wouldn't let me pay.
Good News: Momma K and I went to lunch today and she did let me vent about all the craziness going on right now and was a very sound ear! It was fabulous to see her and she gave me a very cool beehive candle and matching towel for my birthday. I love candles!

Bad News: I have to stop writing now because work is looming over my head.
Good News: uhh...hmmm...well crap. Nothing good about that now is there?

Oh well. See you tomorrow!

Stressed?

8:42 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
Apparently, I'm not terribly. Got these an email recently and from what I can tell via snopes and urban legend research, they're the real deal. Take it for what you will. I just thought it was cool.

The pictures attached are used to test the level of stress a person can handle. One teacher said, "I felt like they were all moving...but slowly. Kind of like, they were breathing." The slower the pictures move, the better your ability of handling stress. Alleged criminals that were tested see them spinning around madly; however, senior citizens and kids see them standing still. FYI ... None of these images are animated - they are perfectly static!
Let me know how stressed you are! T-Rex 2














Happy Fall

2:57 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
Check this out especially if you're a prankster and like to mess with people's "heads" ;0)

Happy Fall Harvest and plenty o' Pumpkin pickin's to ya!

Why is it....

5:00 PM Edit This 0 Comments »















that if you have a great class...your kids are really good.
And if you have a bad class...you're a bad teacher?

Thanks!!

12:04 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
To everyone who came to my party!! It was the most purplelicious day I've ever had! Monty even wrote me a poem: She gave me a choice of a gift...a car...cash or a thoughtful greeting...and of course I chose the *ahem* thoughtful greeting and here it is!

:)Happy 29th +9 Birthday!And now, a birthday limerick for you.*ahem*
On the day of her 38th year
The Millersville Mom we did cheer
Her kids we got high
With candy and pie
'Til she shouted "GET OUT NOW, Y'HEAR!":)
Love and hugs to you!aka_monty
See?? Now wasn't that worth at least $100 bucks? ;0) Thanks Monty!
And thanks to Momma K for throwing me such a wonderful bash at her place! We drank Fat Bastard wine and had all the wheat thins and cheese-its we could stuff in our mouths and of course diet pepsi for the non-alcoholics of the bunch. It was a blast!
My kids and hubs gave me a Ipod Shuffle...Raehan I'm contacting you with some serious play list help!! Whoda thunk they make them so small to begin with and then they needed to come up with a mini version? Anywho, the hubs thought it would go nicely with these... my purple
asics running shoes. I bought them with my first paycheck in 6 years in the hopes that they might motivate me to ...ummm..ya know...run. Guess I better do more than wear them to a craft show and work now hadn't I?
Yeah...so anyway, went to the Japanese Steak House in town and with the 'rents and the kids and ate myself sick. Tried to go to Cold Stone afterwards for dessert....just the smell made me want to gag, I was so full! The boys had some chocolate concoction and I snitched a bit from them. All in all it was a fun day...everyone remembered and my class even did a little surprise bit for me today!
Every Monday, I have a mystery reader come in for the last 20 minutes of school and read stories relating to our theme of the week or month. This month we are learning about community helpers, Fall, orange, ovals, apples, and of course, Halloween. So what does our Mystery Mom bring in to read? Courdoroy's Big Day. How does this relate you ask? WELL, it doesn't. Instead they threw a surprise party for ME!!! With balloons and games and the works! Each kid brought me one of these individually wrapped and gave me a hug and said Happy Birthday. It's great to be appreciated. I feel like I making a difference both here and at my son's elementary school. People are noticing my passion and my compassion. It's a good feeling ;0) Makes all the hard work worth while!
Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone...I might just think about having another someday.

Happy Birthday...Again...This Time To....

7:25 AM Edit This 0 Comments »

ME! It's a Plum Crazy Party Day in Millersville. Wanna join? Hoss, you can wear orange ;0) I'm on the 9th anniversary of my 29th birthday..I figure this way I'll never have to turn 40. I found this birthday calendar that tells you all kinds of interesting things about the day you were born. Here's mine:


You entered: 10/2/1967
Your date of conception was on or about 9 January 1967.
( Parents really don't do these things do they?)

You were born on a Monday under the astrological sign Libra.
Your Life path number is
8.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2439765.5.
The
golden number for 1967 is 11.
The
epact number for 1967 is 19.
The year 1967 was not a leap year.
As of 10/1/2005 10:23:54 AM CDTYou are 38 years old.
You are 456 months old.
You are 1,982 weeks old.
You are 13,880 days old.
You are 333,139 hours old.
You are 19,988,323 minutes old.
You are 1,199,215,434 seconds old.
There are 364 days till your next birthday on which your cake will have 39 candles on it.
Those 39 candles produce 39 BTU's,or 9,828 calories of heat (that's only 9.8280 food Calories!) .
You can boil 4.46 US ounces of water with that many candles.
In 1967 there were approximately 3.7 million births in the US.
In 1967 the US population was approximately 179,323,175 people, 50.6 persons per square mile.
In 1967 in the US there were approximately 1,800,000 marriages (9.3%) and 479,000 divorces (2.5%)
In 1967 in the US there were approximately 1,712,000 deaths (9.5 per 1000)Your birthstone is Tourmaline
The Mystical properties of Tourmaline (note the color!!!)


Pink Tourmaline promotes female balance and protection. Green Toumaline promotes male balance.
Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)
Opal, Jasper
Your birth tree is a Hazelnut Tree, the Extraordinary Charming, undemanding, very understanding, knows how to make an impression, active fighter for social cause, popular, moody and capricious lover, honest and tolerant partner, precise sense of judgement.
There are 85 days till Christmas 2005! I'd better get busy!!

Thanks for stopping by ;0)