So Long For Now...

4:23 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
Okay.... I've made up my mind to take a break. It's not good-bye forever, just for a couple of months until school's out. I'm finding I have way too much to accomplish in the next few weeks, months even and Spring sports are starting for both my boys, I just can't keep up. I'll be by to visit though and if you'd like me to let you know when I'm back shoot me your email and I'll drop you a note when I'm back in full swing. Have a fabulous Spring and I'll see you all soon!!

Peace.

Are We Still In High School?

4:48 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
"I can't believe they cancelled on my birthday party just to go to hers." said H.
"Mine has been planned for over a month and S just wanted to steal everyone and be the best. I'm just sick about it."

"Well it's mostly just a girl's thing isn't it? We're doing manicures and pedicures and gettin' some good vino right?"

"Yeah, but S is doing a Pamper Yourself Party too...just to make me mad!"

"I think it'll be fun. Just us hangin' out, drinkin', smokin', and shootin' the sh*&. It's not about you H, it's her need to feel loved and wanted and all that crap."

"I just can't believe she would do this to ME! I can't wait for Karen's visit to be over just so I can get through it!"


THIS was a conversation I had today! Hello? How old are we? 14? 16? No, 38!! Oh my Lord! I am so over people like this. This is supposed to be a fun girl's night out and birthday party for our friend H. Apparently there's a lot of history ...blah...blah...blah....and this particular woman wants to have a party too...not come to ours with the same people. One is Saturday and one is Friday and the women that are having to choose can only get out one night that weekend.

Oy...I'm tired of talking about it already. I just couldn't believe I was actually having the conversation. Just thought I'd share.

~~~~~~~~

Can I just say how sick I am of seeing this?

The Verdict Is In...

8:23 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
The decision has been made about our elementary school. The smaller school's teachers are staying where they are and vice versa. As of Fall of next year, we will be in our brand spankin' new school with the same teachers just all mixed up. The good news is that J-man #2 will be able to have #1 son's Kindergarten teacher. Yay! #1 son's teacher this year, who is absolutely fabulous, will now be teaching 4th grade, so the possibility of him getting him again is great. There will also be a male teacher teaching 5th grade. Again another phenomenal teacher. Of course with the Ying there is always a Yang. I will remain PTO President at least for the next year...BECAUSE this will ensure that the absolutely horrific 1st grade teacher some unfortunate students have had this year will be a 2nd rate 2nd grade teacher next year. This will not be my child's teacher if it means pulling him out and home schooling him. Now, to me, THAT would be torture so now you know the lengths to which I will go for my children.

That being said, my letter apparently got to the right people. As did a bunch of others, I'm sure, but we ended up with a full time librarian, full time Music teacher, full time Art and GT teacher (same person..2 halves make a whole!) and they've added 2 hours onto the P.E. position making it a part time postion as well. Yay! We will also have a Math Lab and a Computer Lab. Bringing us quickly into the 21st century. As our Principal said, "I asked for the Sun, the Moon and the Stars. I got the Sun and the Moon." and I replied, "And we'll reach for the Stars." It'll be a year or two of growing pains, certainly, but hopefully all will go well. Everyone seems really excited and with the prospect of the powers that be fixing our town's water (which is crap by the way...we have two house filters and a water softener and we still drink bottled water!) we should get some new neighborhoods in here. More houses mean more kids, and in this state that means more $ per student! Local politics are amazing. If people would just be honest and stop trying to make excuses....bleh.

I ended up with a Pre-K position in my preschool for next year so I will be working 5 days a week next year. I'm bummed only because this one day off a week is when I get all my errands run, doctor's visited and hair's cut. My house will be a wreck I'm sure of it! Or no one will ever be here and it'll stay clean....yeah right! I love my job though...even now so all is well.

I'm spending the day scrapbooking tomorrow, 9a.m-10a.m. One of my artsy hobbies that I have no time to do unless I lock myself away in a hotel somewhere for 12 hours and work. I haven't worked on anything since last month when I did the same thing.

In other news...I feel old...I just got an invitation to my 20 year High School Reunion in September...not sure how I feel about this one yet, but I'm going with a lot of people who feel the same way so how bad can it be? ;0)

Happy Weekend!

OOPS!

2:51 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I didn't even realize how long it's been since I've actually sat down to my computer to put thoughts other than work into it. I just haven't felt like it. By the time I get home, get some laundry or house stuff done, email checked, PTO stuff handled, #1 son is home from school with homework and dinner, scouts, base ball etc. The Hubs was gone for 2 weeks and with a sick kid it was hard to get everything done. Wah..wah I know but them's the facts!

We went to the zoo on Saturday and I would have to say in the 25+ years I've been going to the National Zoo this was the best trip ever!! The animals were ALL active and they had an interactive festival type thing going on where the kids could make wildlife journals, play with mud and trowels to build fake rocks and trees, touch animal skins and skulls. One nature center even brought fake poop to match up with animal skulls. I thought it was disgusting, but my son loved it! We spent almost an hour looking at tarantulas and looking at bugs under the microscope in Amazonia. He and his friend also asked some really great questions. I love 1st graders!! We were able to see the new baby panda Tai Shan and even the snakes were moving around. We swore they were all on remote controls.

Other than that, life is kinda blah. Just waiting for warmer weather and trying to lose these winter 10 by osmosis...think it'll work? More pensive thoughts to come. My, but they've been sporadic at best...who wants to listen to me apologize and whine? No one...don't blame you. I'm thinking about taking a hiatus til the end of the school year and starting fresh with the sunshine and warmth of VA Spring. Gnorm is supposed to come visit soon...hmmm. I'll let you know.

Peace.

Thirteen Reasons to Wonder ...

7:11 AM Edit This 0 Comments »

..why the English language is so hard to learn. See if you can read them correctly the FIRST time through ;0)


1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.

I think I need to go back to school!!

Other Thirteeners I've read today.

Nat

Kelly

Denise



I"m a Victim!

2:28 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I have been in my house for 5 days straight!! It's been beautiful weather outside, but fevers and chills inside. Little man woke up FINALLY this morning with a normal temp. Just a virus apparently, but he was miserable. I, however, got more done in the past couple of days than I have in two months!! On Saturday I managed to get 16 people to hand me $10 for a coach gift as it was the last day of basketball season. Dad's are mostly here with their kids and just don't think of stuff like that I guess ;0) I cleaned my completely disgusting van out and vaccuumed it thoroughly. Now I just need to wash the carpets, but that can wait til Spring. Late Sat night the fever hit...we went to church and dropped J-man off at Sunday school and the headed to the Dr. Of course they didn't open until 12. So I called. "I'm sorry Maam, but the earliest we can see him is 5 p.m." Well, since 22 of the 89 kids at our school were out with Strep on Friday...we took what we could get.

I spent most of Sunday putting away Christmas..ahem...I mean "Winter" decorations and washing windows in the living room. I also vaccuumed out the fireplace and...ready for this? DUSTED! Yup...uh-huh..that's right...a not so well know fact..I don't dust. Oh well, okay. I dust a couple of times a year. I did it at Christmas and just the other day. ;0) Next time will probably when we have a pool party of some sort.

I washed windows inside and out. Pulled all the dead stuff out of my flower beds and cleaned them out. I also started a cross stitch! I now remember why I don't do cross stiching...I think I've ripped everything I've done at least once. Now I'm determined to finish....

Okay...so everything is all sparkly and clean. I even started to put away things that have been lying around because I haven't figured out what to do with them yet like my son's soon to be novella of papers that he brings home from school everyday, candy left over from Christmas that no one has eaten and a lovely little apple shaped dish with accompanying apple crisp kit. Pretty cool little present I received this Christmas when we had our cookie party. I just haven't hade the opportunity to make it yet...not really sure what I want to do with it...picked it up to stick it in my cabinet and noticed a very small, almost indicernible piece of tape with wrapping paper stuck to it.

I've been the victim of a re-gift!!! I was horrified! Shocked! Bewildered!

Okay not really. It made me chuckle a bit though. I actually really appreciated and liked the gift. Most re-gifts, to me at least, should be worth re-gifting. They are usually things that I wouldn't be embarrassed about giving someone, or that should end up in Salvation Army box or go back from whence they came. Now if it's something I just won't use...I'll be happy to find another home for it. I love giving stuff away anywho...especially at garage sales. It's fun to watch people buy stuff for "a steal". I like to think I have cool stuff...I just like to buy more cool stuff and so eventually some of it has to go.

So...do you re-gift? Would you ever tell someone you don't like or couldn't use something they gave to you? Are you telling the truth? ;0)

Little Man Logic

6:27 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
"Mom, we can't bring brownies in the car."

Why not?

Because they'll melt.

No, they won't.

Yes, they will.

Why do you think the brownies will melt?

Because....

Silence..

"They're made of chocolate..and chocolate melts when it gets hot so we can't take brownies in the car because chocolate melts in the car and the brownies will melt. SO...we have to make them at Ms. Maryann's house instead!"

Guess I can't argue with him there now can I?

Question

4:05 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
So am I the only one that doesn't let my child jump on other people's furniture? Run around Chuck E. Cheese and steal other kid's token's or pizza?
Who pays attention to where my child and other children who are with me are? Who tells my kid it's not okay to take things that don't belong to you?
Who thinks that picking your nose in public is completely gross and disgusting?
Who makes my kids wash their hands before eating and after going to the bathroom?
Who doesn't give my children everything they ask for?
Who limits tv watching and encourages reading or playing a game together? Who doesn't let my child speak for me by calling a neighbor and asking if they can spend the night or if I can babysit them?
Who actually misses my husband when he's gone for an extended period of time and realizes that the kids will act differently for the same reasons?
Who worries why a 3 year old little girl is wandering around Walmart by herself?
Who thinks that leaving your toys in the middle of the road and in other people's yards is rude?
Who thinks their dog should be trained to stay in my own yard or put up a fence to keep them there. NOT to let them wander the neighborhood where they can get hurt or hurt someone else?
Who wants my business to stay my business unless I choose to share it and if I do share it and ask you not to...I expect you to do as you say and NOT SHARE IT????

I'm just wondering...am I the only one?

2:08 PM Edit This 0 Comments »

Thirteen Reasons I haven't written anything since last Thursday.

1. Last Friday I spent the day at the zoo (original reason was to go pick up a Wildlife Explorer kit for the 1st grade) with a friend and my youngest kidlet.

2. Ended up buying a new car on the way home.

3. We picked it up Friday evening.

4. Saturday we went to show the parental units our new car and invited ourselves to lunch...we also celebrated Grandpa's birthday...left with enough time to make brownies to take ...

5. ...to a friend's house for dinner and to play Dominos and didn't get home til almost 2 a.m.

6. Spent Sunday a.m at church then came home and took a nap and planned for this week at school and spent time with the hubs as he is out of town for the next two weeks.

7. Got up Monday a.m. and went to work and the kids, mine, theirs and everyone's were crazy insane!! Completely not connected and not listening.

8. I'm PMSing...this is not a good week for this state of mind.

9. Had PTO meeting Monday evening that I had to plan for Monday afternoon but couldn't right away because...

10. I had to find another babysitter for my kids. My neighbor backed out at the last minute because her son had strep. Of course, I didn't know this until I called Monday afternoon when I got home from work and saw her van in the driveway and was curious as to why she was home so early..."Oh we've been home all day, T had a Dr.'s appointment this a.m and we were all tested for Strep. He's the only one who tested positive." I said, "So, you won't be able to watch my kids then, obviously." "Oh, no. That won't work. Sorry."

Umm....hello? When exactly were you going to tell me???? ARRRGGGHHH!!

11. I got another neighbor to watch them but Little Man ended up having a meltdown before we went over there. I ran home so he wouldn't see me. I wrote my agenda on a school computer at 6:15. The meeting started at 6:30.

12. I spent the whole meeting listening to the Principal not answer and defensively convince everyone that the school WILL be done next year, we WILL have a great staff and she WILL fight for the best teachers. I know she's lying and I'm scared to death of what's going to happen to my child's education. Thank God I'm a teacher. Positive.Positive. Positive. That's my thought process right now.

13. Yesterday all the children in the world were on crack because they were completely crazy, nuts, wacky, weird and whatever other freaked out word you can think to describe children who are disconnected, wired and spacey. Needless to say...I was just plain tired and vegged in front of the tv.

See you Friday...really!!

Bittersweet

5:30 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
Wow. What a beautiful time we had. My nephew looked fabulous and couldn't have been more calm and happy. It almost made us forget he has to leave again. We spent most of Sat and Sunday hanging out at my SIL's house talking to my nephew and his experiences over seas. Some pretty scary stuff I must say. We all know that bad things happen, bombs are planted everywhere, ambushes happen everyday at all hours and there is no such thing as "friendly fire", but we have a tendency to put it all into this little box called Surrealism. Hearing about it first hand, well, let's just say, I spent most of my pretending it was someone else. I held it together through this ...the picture to the right is my sister in law who cried the entire time...see the rather large white circle over her head? Well for those of you that believe in loved ones coming back to visit, they supposedly show up in the form of orbs in photos. This one could possible be my Mother in law who passed about two years ago. This picture was taken right after she told my husband the reason they picked Amazing Grace for the Parent Entrance Song was because it was the first song she (my MIL) ever taught my nephew. I have two more pictures just like this in succession and the orb is not there. Here are a few more pictures where they are there but have moved...I also have two photos from other angles from another camera and the orbs are there as well. Believe it or not...it was a very special moment.

I also made it through this moment with no tears shed..it was a small, candlelit, black and white wedding. Simple and beautiful. My brother-in-law is Assistant Pastor at this church and said the blessing at the end...he broke down and the Pastor had to jump in and finish. I managed not to cry here either. Not like me, I know, but there ya go.

It wasn't until we got here to the West Manor House in Forest, VA, an old southern plantation home from the early 1800's, that I lost it. We met the owner who had bought the house and it's 1900 acres with her husband back in 1978. The have recently built another house further back on the property and now use the Manor as a Bed and Breakfast. She said they had little privacy and with 5 children, it became a real issue. The house was absolutely gorgeous inside and out as were the lands that surrounded it. We got there early and we were able to tour the entire house. The ballroom had been added onto the back of the house to accompany large parties and this is where the wedding party was finally introduced. It was here that the bride's father asked us all to bow our heads in prayer before the meal. It was here that he began to speak of the bravery his new son in law possessed that enabled us all to be here this evening. That he put himself in harm's way everyday so that we have the freedom for these indulgences and witnessings. It was here the tears began to flow. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. You never saw so much pride beaming from a parent as I saw at that very moment. We are truly blessed to have such a beautiful and caring addition to our family.

After that we ate, enjoyed our freinds and family and decided to drive the 3 1/2 hours home to sleep in our own beds. We all took the next day off, nursed the colds J-man and I caught somewhere along the way and prayed that our soldier will make it through the next 7 months in Iraq and will return to us safely to enjoy his new life, new bride and new home.