I Swear, I'm Alive.

Honestly.   I've been crazy busy with various PTO things.  Let's just list them here rather than go on ad nauseum.   Book Fair (we did well, just not as well as I would have liked), Fall Festival prep is in full swing & while I'm not the chair person (no way am I THAT nuts!) I am overseeing it as the PTO President.  We have our first House Celebration this week & will be hosting a local martial arts dojo (right? Dojo?? Place.  Local martial arts place).  I think the kids will like it.  Their representative & I spoke about the theme being personal responsibility, team work. hard work, etc.  I also managed to book the 2nd House Celebration "talent"---Oxbow Meadows Reptile show will be coming to our school.  I MUST find something else to do that day because me & snakes?  Not good.  At. All.

 In the midst of Book Fair prep my sweet mommy came to town!  Each year our school hosts a Grandparents Breakfast in September.  Sunshine has never been able to attend as well, our grandparents don't live locally.  And we're firm believers that you don't "borrow" someone else's grandparents just for the sake of a glazed donut & grits.  Not that my child eats grits, but you know what I mean.

So, the week before Book Fair (and my birthday!), I drove up to the ATL airport to pick up my mom.  I think the last time I spent my birthday with her was in 2000 so it was a special trip all around.  She & I went to American Girl prior to heading home to do her Christmas shopping for Sunshine.  It's all wrapped & hidden away, just waiting to go under the tree.

Mom was here for a little over a week which was wonderful.  I'm so happy that she was able to share in breakfast at Sunshine's school.  I do think she was a little confused when the teachers (who are my friends) kept asking her to come back to they could ask her questions about me.  Hee!

We went to the Auburn/Ole Miss game a couple weeks ago---very fun but poor Hunter.  Our tickets were given to us through the WTB on post, who got them through another organization.  We knew they weren't great seats but they were free & it was a big game.  We got up to our section & realized we were in the 27th row.  I don't often get acrophobia, but when I do, it's when I'm climbing up to row 27 at Jordan-Hare Stadium under the lights!  

Sunshine & I took advantage of the long holiday weekend to go up to Atlanta & to American Girl this past weekend.  I had promised her that we'd go up on Columbus Day so she could check out all the holiday offerings in person.  On Saturday I got an email advertising discounted hotel rooms.  Well, we got a great rate at a hotel near the store & while she was in the shower on Sunday, I packed a bag for us & got it into the trunk without her knowing.  We went to Perimeter Mall first so I could go to the MAC store for 2 eye shadows that I can't get at other locations & to their Chico's.  Their staff is much nicer than the one here or near North Point Mall.  I managed to get a pair of $120 jeans for $36 & the purple pants I wanted were on sale too.  The best part was that I bought a smaller size!  I normally wear a 2 in their clothes (a 12 for everyone else).  They didn't have the 2 in the purple pants so I tried the 1.5 (a 10) & it fit.  WOO HOO!  While I haven't done anything special to lose weight, I attribute it to the 3% spandex in the pants.

So, Sunshine & I left Perimeter & made our way north toward Alpharetta.  I hadn't rehearsed *why* we'd be staying at the hotel so I just drove there.  When she asked why we were at the hotel I said "we're staying here tonight!"  "NO WAY!!!!!  But I don't have pjs!"   Sweet girl, mommy already took care of that!

Dinner at the Cheesecake Factor was delicious as always & we split the Reese's PB cheesecake after we got back to our room & settled in for the night.   I managed to embarrass her by cheering rather loudly for the Patriots as Tom Terrific managed to work his magic & win the last few seconds of the game.  Luckily the table next to us was a family full of football fans (also following the Pats game as well as the 49ers on their phones) who got my momentary lapse of decorum.

We're so proud of Sunshine---she's a good student and loves school.  I feel like we should take part of the credit as we've raised her with the expectation to always do her best & to strive for good grades, but her school also deserves credit.  SuperAwesomeSchool is just that.  It's super & awesome.  Our principal sets the standard and it trickles down.  I firmly believe that 99% of the people in the building (I'll say 2 are there for other reasons) are firmly invested in making SuperAwesomeSchool the best it can be.  And it shows.

Anyway, during Book Fair we hosted a Family Night.  Sunshine packed up a bunch of science books & brought them in hopes of hosting a "science corner" for the other kids.  SuperBookatarian, Kristine, thought it was a wonderful idea & let Sunshine run with it. There was much squealing, giggling & talking behind the fair as the kids looked through Sunshine's books on Chemistry, Biology & the human body.  Something about an eyeball broke up the group.  Sunshine then approached SuperBookatarian about keeping her books there in case anyone was interested in them.  While she thought it was brilliant, she encouraged Sunshine to bring her books home & to come back to pick some out to display.   As you can see from the picture, planets & the body are huge hits.  Sunshine goes back to the library early each week to put out new books as kids are checking out the ones on the display.  

I don't think I had that much initiative at 9 years old.  And I know I wouldn't have approached my school's librarian about having a science corner in the library of St. Francix Xavier School.  

I love that we're raising such a confident, outgoing, young lady.