Sunday, May 11, 2014
Mother's Day 2014
Happy Mother's Day, blogworld! Whether you're a biological mom, adoptive mom, step mom, or mom to 4 legged creatures, I hope you have a wonderful day.
These 2? They've taught me more about motherhood than I could ever imagine and are loved more than they will probably ever know.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
The Week That Was
You know how sometimes you have one of those days that leaves you throwing your hands up in the air and declaring that you want a "do over"? For me, it's been one of those weeks.
It technically started the day after the PTO meeting. I came home Book Fair and felt the need to have a rest. It's not uncommon after a busy day. The rest of our weekend was pretty uneventful and we launched into last week.
Monday started out like any day that I'd be spending at school. Sunshine and I headed out to school. She was back on the announcements after a week of being the camera girl, I picked up the teacher sign up sheet from the lounge, joked with some of the 4th grade teachers about how it must be book fair as I wasn't feeling well.
I went downhill pretty fast and by 10:00 was calling for reinforcements. My new co-chair, Amanda, gladly came in, gave me some recommendations for a tea that was sure to help me and then sent me packing. I ran by Winn Dixie to pick up some tea and a couple other things and headed home. If I willingly went to Winn Dixie, you know I'm not feeling well. Remember the Prosciutto Incident of '07?? Right.
I got home and immediately got in bed. I spent the rest of the day there with my fever going up and up. And coughing and coughing.
Monday night/Tuesday morning we were under the threat of the bad storms that hit the Mid-west the day prior. So, at 5 am on Tuesday, our tornado warning siren went off. Sunshine and I moved into the hallway (the only part of our house that is truly interior) and huddled with the dogs while Hunter puttered around the house driving me crazy with worry.
While no tornadoes hit our area, they did hit about 20 miles away from us. Scary, scary stuff. We lost part of our 30 foot Bradford pear tree in our back yard. The funny thing was that we didn't hear it fall during the storm. Luckily, it wasn't a lightning strike as I first thought---there was a section of it that had rotted. Hopefully we don't lose the rest of the tree. One of our friends came over to help Hunter get it off our fence and the top part out of our neighbor's yard.
Sunshine went to school so Hunter dragged me and my 102 degree fever having self to the ER on post. A flu swab, chest x-ray and much listening of the lungs later it was decided that I had pneumonia and I was sent away with a z-pack, afrin and robitussin with codeine. Purple drank/sizzurp jokes aside, I felt horrible. Again, I got back into bed and didn't come out until dinner. At least I think I got up for dinner. Yes, I'm pretty sure I did.
I felt slightly better on Wednesday when my fever broke and was able to spend most of the day on the couch rather than in bed. Same with Thursday. Friday, I finally left the house. If you know me well, you know that I just don't do housebound well. At all.
I'm still coughing a bit and am still incredibly tired but am feeling better. It's hard for me to be so go-go-go-go all the time and to find myself being so limited.
So, that is why last week was so rough. I'm lucky that my super sweet hubby has been so wonderful about helping me--getting up with Sunshine, getting her lunch ready, getting her to and from school, handling meals, etc.
The little ray of sunshine in my week? My Sunshine in her Drama Kids Spring Performance.
It technically started the day after the PTO meeting. I came home Book Fair and felt the need to have a rest. It's not uncommon after a busy day. The rest of our weekend was pretty uneventful and we launched into last week.
Monday started out like any day that I'd be spending at school. Sunshine and I headed out to school. She was back on the announcements after a week of being the camera girl, I picked up the teacher sign up sheet from the lounge, joked with some of the 4th grade teachers about how it must be book fair as I wasn't feeling well.
I went downhill pretty fast and by 10:00 was calling for reinforcements. My new co-chair, Amanda, gladly came in, gave me some recommendations for a tea that was sure to help me and then sent me packing. I ran by Winn Dixie to pick up some tea and a couple other things and headed home. If I willingly went to Winn Dixie, you know I'm not feeling well. Remember the Prosciutto Incident of '07?? Right.
I got home and immediately got in bed. I spent the rest of the day there with my fever going up and up. And coughing and coughing.
Monday night/Tuesday morning we were under the threat of the bad storms that hit the Mid-west the day prior. So, at 5 am on Tuesday, our tornado warning siren went off. Sunshine and I moved into the hallway (the only part of our house that is truly interior) and huddled with the dogs while Hunter puttered around the house driving me crazy with worry.
While no tornadoes hit our area, they did hit about 20 miles away from us. Scary, scary stuff. We lost part of our 30 foot Bradford pear tree in our back yard. The funny thing was that we didn't hear it fall during the storm. Luckily, it wasn't a lightning strike as I first thought---there was a section of it that had rotted. Hopefully we don't lose the rest of the tree. One of our friends came over to help Hunter get it off our fence and the top part out of our neighbor's yard.
Sunshine went to school so Hunter dragged me and my 102 degree fever having self to the ER on post. A flu swab, chest x-ray and much listening of the lungs later it was decided that I had pneumonia and I was sent away with a z-pack, afrin and robitussin with codeine. Purple drank/sizzurp jokes aside, I felt horrible. Again, I got back into bed and didn't come out until dinner. At least I think I got up for dinner. Yes, I'm pretty sure I did.
I felt slightly better on Wednesday when my fever broke and was able to spend most of the day on the couch rather than in bed. Same with Thursday. Friday, I finally left the house. If you know me well, you know that I just don't do housebound well. At all.
I'm still coughing a bit and am still incredibly tired but am feeling better. It's hard for me to be so go-go-go-go all the time and to find myself being so limited.
So, that is why last week was so rough. I'm lucky that my super sweet hubby has been so wonderful about helping me--getting up with Sunshine, getting her lunch ready, getting her to and from school, handling meals, etc.
The little ray of sunshine in my week? My Sunshine in her Drama Kids Spring Performance.
Their play was called Storyland Idol and she played the part of Paula Paparazzi who was one of the judges. We are SO proud of her performance. She loved dancing on the chair.
And our PTO kids! The boys were in the Upper Primary class (3-5th) with Sunshine and the little girl was in the k-2nd play. They've all been friends since Kindergarten/1st grade and are just all around great kids. They put in long hours at school with us and never complain. The one in the pink? She has my & Hunter's hearts.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Gluttony Is A Sin
seeing as how I'm a glutton for punishment, I must be a big ol' sinner. . .
The last four years, I've found myself becoming increasingly more involved at SuperAwesome School. When she was in Kindergarten I volunteered for a 2 hour shift at a Book Fair & for a couple days during Faculty/Staff Appreciation Week. Oh, and I helped out in Sunshine's classroom a few times.
First grade was the year it all went down hill. It started innocently enough with being a Room Mom. Our teacher lost her para pro so another mom and I would go in to help out in the classroom or to make copies.
Then it came. The phone call where I was asked to help co-chair the two remaining book fairs for the rest of the year.
I'm going to tell you a secret----once you prove yourself doing something big. Like a Book Fair, and you do it well, people realize that you're honest (important when handling money), capable, reliable and a glutton for punishment.
And it's at that point you find yourself saying yes to a position on an executive board for your school's parent/teacher group.
So after 2 years of Treasurer (truly the hardest of all of the positions) I thought I'd slide into Secretary for the next 2 years. It wasn't to be and I find myself finishing up my first year as President.
Honestly, President isn't nearly as bad as it seems to be. You need to be visible. You need to be personable. You need to enjoy people you've never met coming up to you to introduce themselves and to ask why are you so involved at the school and did your child receive special favors as a direct result. (Yeah, got that one earlier this year). You need to be able to delegate and manage without micromanaging. Having been micromanaged by a PTA President as well as an old boss, I can honestly say that it's my least favorite part about dealing with people.
The downside of being President is well, the negative stuff. Ticked off parents. The parents who never get involved for whatever reason but love to do nothing but criticize how things are run. Yet if you ask them to get involved (to shut them up), they're too busy.
Because none of us on the board are ever busy. Real life doesn't exist for us.
So this year there was a sliver of hope that I would finally slide into the low key world of PTO Secretary. You know, take some meeting notes, prepare the monthly calendar. Let the big decisions fall on someone else's shoulders.
Yeah, no such luck. I'll end Sunshine's time at SuperAwesome school as PTO President. The plus side of this is that I'll have a major say in what happens at school and will be in a position to MAKE it happen. School district say no to the 5th grade trip? PTO President comes to rally the parents to make phone calls to the district. And I'll get to be at school for her last year of elementary school.
I'll continue to be one of those people who make it happen. Glutton for punishment or not.
The last four years, I've found myself becoming increasingly more involved at SuperAwesome School. When she was in Kindergarten I volunteered for a 2 hour shift at a Book Fair & for a couple days during Faculty/Staff Appreciation Week. Oh, and I helped out in Sunshine's classroom a few times.
First grade was the year it all went down hill. It started innocently enough with being a Room Mom. Our teacher lost her para pro so another mom and I would go in to help out in the classroom or to make copies.
Then it came. The phone call where I was asked to help co-chair the two remaining book fairs for the rest of the year.
I'm going to tell you a secret----once you prove yourself doing something big. Like a Book Fair, and you do it well, people realize that you're honest (important when handling money), capable, reliable and a glutton for punishment.
And it's at that point you find yourself saying yes to a position on an executive board for your school's parent/teacher group.
So after 2 years of Treasurer (truly the hardest of all of the positions) I thought I'd slide into Secretary for the next 2 years. It wasn't to be and I find myself finishing up my first year as President.
Honestly, President isn't nearly as bad as it seems to be. You need to be visible. You need to be personable. You need to enjoy people you've never met coming up to you to introduce themselves and to ask why are you so involved at the school and did your child receive special favors as a direct result. (Yeah, got that one earlier this year). You need to be able to delegate and manage without micromanaging. Having been micromanaged by a PTA President as well as an old boss, I can honestly say that it's my least favorite part about dealing with people.
The downside of being President is well, the negative stuff. Ticked off parents. The parents who never get involved for whatever reason but love to do nothing but criticize how things are run. Yet if you ask them to get involved (to shut them up), they're too busy.
Because none of us on the board are ever busy. Real life doesn't exist for us.
So this year there was a sliver of hope that I would finally slide into the low key world of PTO Secretary. You know, take some meeting notes, prepare the monthly calendar. Let the big decisions fall on someone else's shoulders.
Yeah, no such luck. I'll end Sunshine's time at SuperAwesome school as PTO President. The plus side of this is that I'll have a major say in what happens at school and will be in a position to MAKE it happen. School district say no to the 5th grade trip? PTO President comes to rally the parents to make phone calls to the district. And I'll get to be at school for her last year of elementary school.
I'll continue to be one of those people who make it happen. Glutton for punishment or not.
Friday, April 18, 2014
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
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
Monday, December 16, 2013
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!
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!
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
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.
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
- You are alive.
- You are able to see the sunrise and the sunset.
- You are able to hear birds sing and waves crash.
- You can walk outside and feel the breeze through your hair and the sun’s warmth on your skin.
- You have tasted the sweetness of chocolate cake.
- You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.
- You awoke this morning with a roof over your head.
- You had a choice of what clothes to wear.
- You haven’t feared for your life today.
- You have overcome some considerable obstacles, and you have learned and survived.
- 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.
- You live in a country that protects your basic human rights and civil liberties.
- You are reasonably strong and healthy – if you got sick today, you could recover.
- You have a friend or relative who misses you and looks forward to your next visit.
- You have someone with whom to reminisce about ‘the good old days.’
- You have access to clean drinking water.
- You have access to medical care.
- You have access to the Internet.
- 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.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
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!
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.
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