I Don't Even Know Where To Start

I know, I know, I've been away.

Forever.

And I apologize for that but real life?  Real life is ridiculous sometimes.

With the end of the school year a month away, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel but before I'm out of that tunnel I need to:

finish proctoring the CRCTs for 5th grade next week
get BOGO Book Fair set up, run & closed up over the next 2 weeks.
help out with Faculty/Staff Appreciation Week
Have the AR Balloon Parade
Have the final House Celebration
Paint some hands to decorate the library ceiling as members of the Million Words Club (part of our AR program)---my sweet Sunshine gained membership to this exclusive club in February!
Throw a graduation party for the 5th grade class

All of this in something like 25 days.  My brain hurts thinking about it.

Our final PTO meeting for the year is next Thursday.  We'll be electing board members for next year.  I've been nominated as President again and am going back and forth between "what if I get voted out???" vs. "WOO HOO! If I don't get elected I will have SO much more free time and someone else can handle all the nonsense!"

The good of getting voted out?  I could do Book Fairs/AR/House Celebrations & "just" be a room parent.  The amount of free time & less headaches/drama would be amazing.

The bad?  My inner control freak wouldn't know what to do after 3 years on the Executive Board.

We'll see what comes next Thurs.

So, beyond PTO issues life has been life.  It's been good, it's been stressful but really, mostly good.  I'm a lucky girl & I know it.

Sunshine is doing great in school.  This year has been a learning experience (no pun intended) with the responsibility that is thrust upon 4th graders.  She's grown up a lot this year & we are so proud of her accomplishments.  She's maintained a 95 average or above so far & has read 1.3 million words.  She's currently on book 4 of the Harry Potter series, which she is loving.

The funny thing about Sunshine is that she has always been a very independent child.  I joke that once she could roll over at 4 months something changed.  If she didn't want to do something---be held, play with a certain toy, etc she wouldn't & no amount of asking, begging, cajoling would change her mind.  Some people call it "stubborn".  The truth of the matter is that the kid has always known her own mind & has always done things HER way.

This year she was comfortable reading what interested her.  We realized after the first marking period that she was on track to read a million words and started to figure out how many books she'd need to read to make that goal.

After reading through the series that had interested her (Hank the Cowdog, American Girl mysteries (but only Molly, Kit, Julie, Kaya,  Samantha & Felicity), American Chillers, Goosebumps, Who Was. . .books) her teacher and I decided she needed to challenge herself & not read at the bottom of her reading level.  So, a visit to the home of the Super Bookatarian was planned.  Kristine took her around the library & suggested SO many great books.  Ones we were sure Sunshine would love.  Do you know that my child turned up her nose at Little House on the Prairie??  Who does that??  The kid loves history.  She loves historical fiction as you can tell by her love of the AG mysteries & the fact that she's read almost all of the historical books in several dolls' collections.  Nope, no Little House in my house.

Also, no Nancy Drew.   My childhood was flashing before my eyes & was being stomped on by my stubborn 9 year old.

Harry Potter was initially snubbed which was odd as she loves the movies.

Finally one day she came home with  Book 1.  And read it.  And it was awesome.

So now, we find ourselves on Book 4.  I can't wait for her to get to the Half Blood Prince as it's my all time favorite.  The movie?  Not so much.


Hunter spent a week in VA helping out his mom & dad.  While we miss him when he does this, I'm glad he's able to go as I know it means a lot to him to be able to.  And that his dad asks him to help.  My only stipulation was that he had to be home in time to take Sunshine to the Father/Daughter Dance at school.

Yesterday he had carpal tunnel surgery.  Nothing like 7 hours at the hospital.  Actually it was 6 for me as one hour was spent running to school to get Sunshine and running back to the hospital to wait for him to be released.  I'm hoping he gets some relief from the pain he's been experiencing.  Luckily he hasn't been too man-whiney.  Let's hope it doesn't start!

We've been talking about putting our house on the market next year & moving somewhere closer to our families.  There are pluses and minuses to doing this, obviously.   I haven't lived in the same state as my family for 20 years & it's been about the same for Hunter.   Our whole experience as parents has been totally independent from our families.    Deployments, illness, even just a date night---we've had to manage on our own.  I don't know that I'd know how to deal with having family help with Sunshine.  But we're seriously considering it.

So, in my down time (ha!) I find myself on realtor.com looking at houses.  This house has spoiled us in so many ways.  Our rooms are fairly large & our house is almost to where we want it to be (no carpet in the dining room & living room would be so nice!!).  My irises that I planted after we moved in have matured & spread.  Would we dig them up &  take the rhizomes with us?  The upshot of moving would mean that they would have time to mature & spread wherever we go.  We would have plenty of time to remodel, paint, whatever a new home.

We'd miss our friends here but really, I'm not a Southern girl.  I don't enjoy having Summer weather the majority of the year.  I grew up with 4 seasons & I miss having 4 seasons.  When Sunshine says she wants to live near Memere (my mom) so she can have a snowy winter I get it.  I want a snowy winter too.

So, that's where we are.

I'd write more but I need to make a phone call to a lovely retired teacher from our super awesome school who wants to work Book Fair with me.

More later

Happy Easter

Productive Day

This is our last week of school before Christmas Break & apart from a brief (very brief!) PTO meeting at tomorrow night's Christmas Show, I'm just a parent this week!

Today was one of those days where things fell together & was able to get so much accomplished.

I walked Sunshine into school where her homeroom teacher gave me an adorable hand painted ornament.  I knew she had something  for me as she texted yesterday to ask if I'd be in today.  So right off the bat, I start off my day with a pressie!

I got the PTO closet put back together.  Last week was our 5 day Secret Santa Shop.  While it wasn't my event, I was up there for a few hours a day for 4 days.  They took pity on me as they knew I was sick the weekend we set up & gave me Monday off.

When I left school I realized that my idea of going to the commissary wasn't wise.  The no-longer new manager has reinstated an old policy that limits purchases made before 10 am to 30 items or less.  Crazy manager lady, please.

So, not wanting to deal with silly rules, I decided to head to Target.  Cards for my brother, 2 nephews & Sunshine's 2 teachers--check.  More gift wrap--check.  A few little stocking stuffers--check.  Gift for Hunter's nephew--check.  Gift card for PTO Treasurer as a thank you from the VP & I for truly going above & beyond the call of duty---check.

A run to Sally's for hair color & other stocking stuffers (shush, my husband likes their foot files & nail buffers!)---check.

Michaels for 50 glass ornaments, paint & sharpies for a craft for 2 of our 4th grade classes and I was done with that part of town.

I headed to the commissary & was in and out in record time.  I also didn't get the crazy bagger which was a bonus.  The commissary has baggers who work on tips.  Most of them are teenagers.  Some are retirees & one is this really weird older guy who was a military brat back in the day.  I've gotten him to speak but mostly he sings bits of various 70s songs that he feels pertain to his customers.   Don't believe me?  One day he had a 40ish woman who was um, well, she had made some questionable clothing choices.  And she didn't choose wisely.

Ol' bagger guy takes a look at her and mid-verse of "Down By The Bayou" switches to "Witchy Woman"

Seriously.  If you've ever been to a military commissary & had the crazy bagger guy you know that I couldn't make this stuff up!

Made it home where I discovered Hunter working on a couple Christmas presents in the garage (his makeshift workshop).  Got our groceries put away & enjoyed my sushi for lunch.

I had time to color my hair and then make it up to school to pick up Sunshine & my friends' 2 kids as she and her husband were at a funeral.   We went to Cherry Berry for fro-yo which was yummy.

Sunshine & I hit up Kohl's for some shoes for her chorus outfit tomorrow.  I am not a Kohl's fan.  I find their stores to be laid out really weird, their associates are never to be found and I hate the whole front check out thing.

That being said, their intimates sales are great & my comforter set came from there.

But they stink.

We couldn't find tights for Sunshine in the girls department.  At all.  Not just her size, but NO tights, period.  Um, I realize it's Georgia but no tights?????

We moved onto shoes where I thought I'd stab someone.  Their shoe department is like that of Target or TJ Maxx---it's all open stock.  Only Target & TJ Maxx have some organization to their shoes.  Sunshine is roughly a 2 1/2 in shoes.  Kohl's has no half sizes.  I found some 3s but really, 2 styles that were appropriate for her.  I can't even begin to describe the sizes all mixed in together as it was truly mind boggling.

We left with a pair of shoes & the task of trying them on at home with tights on.  As I predicted, they are too big so tomorrow I have to return them & go on the Great Shoe Hunt 2013 while she's at school.  Pray for me that Dillard's can come through.

I also got all the gifts for Hunter's family wrapped & ready to go.  My mom's gifts are wrapped & ready to go along with the gift cards for my brother & his boys.  My other brother & SIL's gift is going to be ready tomorrow so we'll get it wrapped & ready for shipment.  I hate shipping gifts so late---I always worry they won't make it there in time!

Now I'm getting into bed for some quick time w/ my Kindle & then a good night's rest.  

Tomorrow's going to be "productive" too!

Better Than You Think

I like to think that I'm an optimist but really, deep down, I'm a realist.  I do tend to have a sunny view of things and expect that good things will happen but my gut will tell me when I'm being ridiculous.  Or when I shouldn't trust someone or something.  Ask my friends, my built in BS detector is amazingly accurate.  I don't know how many times I've commented about something not being right about a person while others tell me I'm not giving them a fair shake, or that I don't really know them, only to have them show their true colors & I'm proven right.

This isn't about me being right, but it's about being real about life.

Life isn't always pretty.  It isn't always fair.  There are times it's hard and there are times when things just downright suck.

But do they really?

A friend of mine shared this post on Facebook today.  Jackie is one of those people who makes things happen.  She's someone who dreams big and who lives big.  She mocks my love of Bloody Marys & has deemed them only fit to drink at brunch.  She also tells me when I'm fabulous.  Apparently I'm fabulous a lot in her eyes.  We all need friends like her.

So, if you're thinking that life sucks.  Or is so hard.  Or that it's so unfair, take a minute and read this.  Your perspective will change.

Even in uncertain times, it’s always important to keep things in perspective.

True wealth is the ability to fully experience life.
- Henry David Thoreau

1. You are alive.
2. You are able to see the sunrise and the sunset.
3. You are able to hear birds sing and waves crash.
4. You can walk outside and feel the breeze through your hair and the sun’s warmth on your skin.
5. You have tasted the sweetness of chocolate cake.
6. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.
7. You awoke this morning with a roof over your head.
8. You had a choice of what clothes to wear.
9. You haven’t feared for your life today.
10. You have overcome some considerable obstacles, and you have learned and survived.
11. You often worry about what you’re going to do with your life – your career, your family, the next step, etc. – which means you have ambition, passion, drive, and the freedom to make your own decisions.
12. You live in a country that protects your basic human rights and civil liberties.
13. You are reasonably strong and healthy – if you got sick today, you could recover.
14. You have a friend or relative who misses you and looks forward to your next visit.
15. You have someone with whom to reminisce about ‘the good old days.’
16. You have access to clean drinking water.
17. You have access to medical care.
18. You have access to the Internet.
19. You can read.

The truth is, you’re doing better than a lot of people in this world.  So remember to be grateful for all the things you do have. 

Yeah, my life rocks too.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas. . .

We've enjoyed our Thanksgiving Break so much.  After the first three months of school being SO hectic, it's been nice to sleep in, be lazy, be busy for reasons that don't involve the PTO & to just enjoy our little family.For the last few years, we've made what we call our "glitterific ornaments"  Hunter & Sunshine are getting really creative with their swirls!

We went to see Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens.  This is my favorite part---the snowstorm.  We went to dinner with 2 other families and then to see the lights together.  The kids were good  & sat together while the grown ups sat together and had fun.  

When  you're on your 4th year of making glitterific ornaments, you need more places to display them.  The light in our dining room is a perfect place!

My new Ornament for 2013

I purchase a new ornament (at least one) each Christmas.  This is this year's addition.  Truth be told, I didn't put all my ornaments on the tree!  We downsized our tree (7' slimmer tree from a 7 1/2 ' Donner Fit that was like 5' at the bottom) which meant fewer ornaments.  I do put all of the ornaments that Sunshine has made, or that have pictures of her/us.  I have the Hallmark Penguin series that I started collecting in '89 up as well as a few other special ones (the '07 Spode bell ornament that was to remind me of the hardest year of my life).

If you read my last post, you know I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to my Christmas dishes.  I haven't bought a new piece (so far) this year but I'm sure it's a matter of time.  I have 8 bowls, sandwich plates & dinner plates pulled out for our daily dishes until shortly after New Year's Day.  I need to pull out the glasses & wine glasses.

Tomorrow starts back to school for Sunshine for 3 weeks.  They're going to be a crazy 3 weeks too.  We have our Secret Santa prep this week---getting everything wrapped, priced & ready to be put out either Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.   The following week is the actual SSS and then the week after that is the Annual Christmas Show.  Sunshine is in the chorus this year---we've tracked down a black skirt & white blouse for her chorus costume so that's good.  Hopefully, the director doesn't decide he needs props the day before the show.  It's happened before.   And, I think I may need to track down a back up photographer for yearbook pics.

And, I'm behind on my knitting for Sunshine's teacher.  *sigh*  Maybe my tradition of a feather & fan scarf for all her teachers is ending.  I could probably get it done if I focus & commit some time to getting it done.

Conspiracy!

If you read my blog or know me in real life, you know that china (dishes, not the country) is a little obsession of mine.  I love it.  I'm always on the hunt for new daily dishes or to add to our china (now discontinued) or to Sunshine's from Hunter's grandmother (Royal Doulton Larchmont--also discontinued).

And that every year I add to my Spode Christmas Tree dishes.   

Truth be told, I have service for 8, complete with wine glasses, high ball glasses and serving pieces.  I don't really need anything new except for 4 more cereal bowls.

You'd think that with Christmas in roughly 6 weeks that it wouldn't be a problem to find them, right?

Well, you'd be wrong.  Wrong.

I'm sure Macy's or Dillard's have them available.   But, I don't want to pay their prices.   I want a deal so as a result, I've been stalking , I mean, going to Marshall's & TJ Maxx at least 2-3 times a week in hopes that they've put the Spode out.

They haven't.  Oh, they have a few pieces in boxes--serving platters, trays, candy bowls---all things that I have.

There is no open stock and I'm starting to get a little concerned that someone went in ahead of me and bought out all the open stock.

It could happen.

OR, maybe the stores are just late to put it out.  Let's cross our fingers, shall we?

I'll pretend that it's earlier in the season and will be all happy once the dishes are there.

I did manage to get most of Sunshine's Christmas shopping done, including stocking stuffers.  And it's all wrapped!

I am all excited that we're a week away from  the Georges Deboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau annual release.   I usually buy 5-6 bottles to enjoy throughout the winter.  So yummy!

Pumpkin Patch V.2013

 Each year we make a trip to one of the local pumpkin patches.  Truthfully, I miss Sunshine going as part of a field trip.  This year we found ourselves busy on most weekends in October and so wound up going to Best Nursery on Monday afternoon after school let out.

Pretty painted pumpkins inside

Seriously, you're surprised she wants a pink pumpkin?!

 The benefit of going on a weekday is that very few people are there.   We wound up having the hay ride all to ourselves!

 My sweet girl and I.  I can't believe how much she's grown since the first time she came here as a toddler!

We brought home several small pumpkins to decorate the mantel as well as a pie pumpkin for Sunshine to paint pink this weekend and a larger one for "the family" that we'll carve.   I say "we"---Hunter and Sunshine will do it!

We've survived last night's Fall Festival and are gearing up for 2 parties today.  One is the birthday for Sunshine's bestie.  Fortunately that's a drop off party so I can great lunch & get ready for the 2nd party.  It's a costume party at the home of my former knitting mentee's parents.  I'm not sure what Sunshine is wearing (her Draculaura or another costume).  I'm going as Jessica Lange's character (Fiona)  from the current version of American Horror Story: Coven..  Should be a good time!!

What Was It About Picking Battles?

Parents often hear the line "you've got to pick your battles" from well meaning friends and family.  There are numerous blog posts about it, it's a catch phrase whenever parenting "experts" are on tv or spouting opinions in their books, friends saying it to other friends.

Any parent who has a child oh, 2 years or older has done so.  Little boy wants to go outside without boots in the rain?  Big girl wants to have dessert before dinner?  Big boy wants stay up past his bed time?

There are so, so many times that parents have to make an "executive decision" when it comes to their child.  What's going to happen if your son wears Crocs in the rain?  Well, his feet will get wet & he'll be uncomfortable.  Your daughter wants a cookie or two before dinner?  Is it really that bad?  Will it set her up for a lifetime of unhealthy eating? No, she'll think it's the best treat, EVER!! and will go back to her regular routine the next day.

Sunshine is 9, going on 10. I don't know how many times I've compromised with her on things like this.  We've done dessert before dinner, she's negotiated a later bedtime, she's worn inappropriate footwear in the rain & has played in mud puddles more times than I can count.

The battle that's been ongoing in our house for the last couple years pertains to a specific toy.  The accursed Monster High Dolls.  

She's been asking for them for at least two years.  And it's not like she wants all of them.  She just wants one.  This one.  Draculaura.

If you read her little bio on the website you see that she's a lot like Sunshine.  She loves pink, smiling, laughing & encouraging her friends.  And the frilly umbrella?  So Sunshine.

I didn't write the blog post that I shared in the first link, but I could have.  I grew up with Barbie & while I certainly didn't resemble her, I did envy her 3 story town house with the elevator, her fabulous shoe collection and her hip 70s wardrobe.  It never crossed my mind that her figure was unattainable or that Ken might possibly be sexually confused.  She was just a great toy & sent the message that girls could be anything they wanted.  I've blogged about Barbie in the past.  While I do think her wardrobe's gotten a little, ahem, skanky, she is still a veterinarian, an astronaut, dog trainer, teacher.  Should her lab coat be the length of a skating uniform? Not really.

So, back to the Monster High Dolls.  Sunshine has wanted one of these dolls for seriously, two years.  Her friends have them, we offer some of the books at the book fair at school.  A trip to Target or Toys R Us is spent looking longingly at them.  Heaven forbid if one of their cartoons comes on tv.

Yesterday I was either too worn down or just decided to capitulate----I'm not sure which but I bought Sunshine the Draculaura costume (complete with the wig!) she's been begging for.  She's always worn her princess dress up dresses for Halloween so really, the cost for Halloween for us has been minimal.

I had the costume in my car and had taken it out of the bag as I was heading up to school after Target to do some PTO stuff (wrist bands & raffle tickets for Fall Festival) as well as bring some roses & candy to Sunshine's home room teacher who is back after maternity leave.  Since a friend (our VP) is sick, I offered to bring her kids home.  Sunshine put her back pack in the front seat of the car while the kids piled into the back.  She didn't see the costume.   After dropping off Kim's kids & checking out her daughter's birthday & Christmas presents (AG Saige & part of her collection), we got back in the car to head home as a visit to the pumpkin patch was promised.

As she was moving her backpack she saw it.  THE COSTUME.  Much squealing, much "Oh Mommy, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" ensued.   She changed into it after we got home from the pumpkin patch and had to be told to take it off to do her homework.

So, my daughter is beyond thrilled & I'm not sure whether I feel I've lost the battle or whether it was a draw.
I think I'm claiming a draw.