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.

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.