Giving Thanks

Life gets so busy these days, it's hard sometimes to get the time to sit and reflect on what goes on around you.  That's been me lately, always busy doing something, be it around the house or for someone else.  I've got so many shows backed up on my DVR that I haven't gotten around to watching, it's not even funny!

But now that it's Thanksgiving week, I thought it would be a good time to get some of those thoughts down on paper.  Well, on the screen anyway.  I've seen a lot of my friends on Facebook talking about the things they're thankful for every day.  Rather than clutter up the FB walls, I thought I'd get my list out right here.  So here goes...

1. Firstly, although I wouldn't consider myself a particularly religious person, I'd like to start my list with being thankful for the notion of God.  I don't talk about it much, but the thought of someone or something being greater than all this "stuff" is consoling.  I am pretty convinced that there is a greater power out there that is the beginning and end of everything we as humans know.  Sometimes we get too big for our boots and think we know everything there is to know.  But how did it all get there?
2. I am thankful for my husband.  We are like any other couple; there are times we get along like a house on fire, and there are times we love each other even though we might not necessarily LIKE each other.  But that's part of being married..."For better, for worse" was what we said, not IF things get bad but WHEN they do.  I am thankful that I've had 11 years so far with this kind and loving man, and I'm also thankful that it still brings a tear to my eye when I think about it.  :*)
3. I'm thankful for my son Zeke.  He was our firstborn and taught me that I can still function on 2 hours of sleep, that I can have the patience of a saint (when I've had more than 2 hours of sleep), and that despite all odds, we are doing a pretty good job in the parenting department.  He never ceases to amaze me.  It's scary to think how intelligent that boy is, but at the same time, he can try my patience to no end!  I loved him from the minute I knew he was on the way, and I'm thankful for having the opportunity to know that kind of love.
4. I'm thankful for my son Gabe.  Now this child is more like me than his dad.  He knows how to push my buttons and makes a habit of testing that it still works.  Regularly.  He's also terribly cute when he wants to be.  As with both my boys, I have learned so much about life and about myself just watching these two grow, and I couldn't imagine life without these two for all the money in the world.  Gabe is and always will be my baby boy, (he broke me from any thought of trying for more kids!), and I love him for his sweetness and joyful heart.
5. I'm thankful for the unconditional love from my boys.  There's nothing like having your kids hug you around the neck when you're feeling down.
6. I'm thankful for my parents.  I didn't always feel that way; of course, as a teenager, it seems their only mission in life was to make mine miserable by constantly checking up on me when I was out with friends or not allowing me to spend money like water.  I can safely say, now that I'm 35, that they knew exactly what they were doing and had my best interests at heart.  I will never admit that to them in person though.  :)
7. I'm thankful for the long phone calls with my mother.  We usually chat about nothing in particular, but when I was younger, we never really talked like we do now.  Now that I'm older, I have a greater appreciation for the woman she was and is, and the things that have happened in her life that make her a person, not just my mum.  It's hard to remember sometimes that your parents were individuals at some point before their lives revolved around YOU.
8. I'm thankful for my in-laws and the extended family.  Lord knows I'm not like anyone else on that side of the family (except for maybe one cousin who could be my sister), but they all accepted me as one of their own and have been very supportive of me and the hubby, despite our dramatically different backgrounds.
9. I'm thankful for alone time.  I'm not a recluse, but I'm also not afraid to spend time in my own company.  I like being able to not have to think of something to say, to just decompress and think about what's been going on or what I still need to do.  Heck, sometimes it's nice to just not have to think, period!
10. I'm thankful for friends.  Not just the ones who say, "Oh, we should get together" and never do anything about it, but the ones who really come through for you when you're in a pinch and need them to go out of their way for you.  And they do so without complaining.  Those are the kind of friends you hold on to and repay in kind.
11. I'm thankful for the fall weather.  I've never been a fan of searing heat or mind-numbing cold, but give me fall weather most of the year, and I'll be happy.  It's perfect for light jackets, bonfires, hot cocoa, and snuggling.  :)
12. I'm thankful for the Nashville bus system and the wonderful bus drivers I meet every day!  I might complain at times about the bus being late, but let's face it...the opportunity to SLEEP on my way to (and from) work?  Priceless.
13. I'm thankful for my old elementary school teacher, Mr. Gibson.  He was a WWII veteran, and I don't even know if he's still around anymore, but that man taught me and my friends more when I was 9 years old than some of my college professors did when I was 19 and 20.  To this day, I still remember the states of America (I grew up in England, so this was news to us), the countries of Africa, my multiplication tables from memory through 12, and Morse Code.
14. I'm thankful for my diverse background.  Needless to say, it's quite a conversation starter when people ask me where I'm from and what my nationality is.  I'm also thankful that I'm able to share such a vast array of cultures with my kids and tell them that it all belongs to them, too.
15. I'm thankful for the opportunity to work.  There have been a lot of layoffs here in the past months, but luckily for me, things are going pretty smoothly right now.
16. I'm thankful that I completed my medical transcription course and landed a wonderful side job with a wonderful lady in Georgia.  She's been one of the easiest persons to work with, and it's been a great comfort to know that I have this to fall back on, should things go south with my full-time job.
17. I'm thankful for great works of art, be they music, movies, paintings, musicals, or books.  They open up our minds to things outside our everyday lives, and bring a rich tapestry of color to what we already know.
18. I'm thankful for people who do charity work.  I find them so inspiring, that they can give of their time and resources selflessly to those who can't possibly return the favor.  They set wonderful examples, not just for my kids, but for me, too.
19. I'm thankful that in all the years my husband and I have been together, we've somehow managed to get by during times of financial struggles without once having to rely on assistance or help from the government, family, or friends. Being on the same page as your spouse financially is such a big thing, I cannot stress how important this is.
20. I'm thankful for my dogs.  We're down to just one now, Ricky, but over the past 10 years of dog ownership, I've had some great memories with some wonderful and faithful friends.  Ricky is getting on in years...he'll be 10 in April, but every day when I pull into our driveway, he comes and greets me at my door.  I make a point to pet him and talk to him whenever I can.  I know he's a dog, but you can see in his eyes that he loves us.  I'm going to miss that booger one day when he's gone.
21. I'm thankful for Cadbury's milk chocolate.  Hershey's ain't got nothin' on Cadbury's.
22. I'm thankful for living in the south.  There's a certain unspoken culture here in the southern states that you don't find up north, like the way people pull off the side of the road and wait for a funeral procession to pass before driving on.  You don't know who it was or what they did in their life, but you show respect and condolences for the family and friends in attendance.  I don't know...I just think it's classy.
23. I'm thankful for the YouTube app on my phone.  You have no idea how many times I've had to resort to episodes of Team Umi Zoomi just so I can pacify Gabe long enough to get through a soccer practice!
24. I'm thankful for my years living in England.  I've come away with an appreciation for a good cuppa tea, crumpets, and the best Indian food on the planet outside of India itself.  Oh, and Pakistan.  They have wonderful food there, too!
25. While on the subject of England, I'm also thankful for the few friends I've kept in touch with from across the pond.  Although we haven't seen each other in close to a decade (some even longer), we still write real letters and send birthday cards.  I hope to get the opportunity to visit again one day soon!
26. I'm thankful for co-workers, present and past.  I've had some great memories with these people, from unexpected road trips to boozy nights at the local karaoke bar to all the laughs we've had on the job.  Thank you for making the day go by quicker and making dealing with certain lab managers a bit more bearable.
27. I'm thankful for organizations like the Cub Scouts.  We're a very active scouting family, especially this year, and there are so many opportunities to teach our future young men of America what it really means to be a man.  I'm hoping this spring we'll have the chance to participate in several service projects to show that there's more to life than just thinking about ourselves.
28. I'm thankful for Chuy's Father Agave margarita.  That's all I'm gonna say about that.
29. I'm thankful that I've found a craft that I can use to benefit those in need.  I love to crochet, and the Children's Hospital accepts baby hats for donation to families with preemie newborns or those born with illness.  I'm glad my little hobby can bring comfort to those needing it the most.
30. And lastly...I'm thankful for this nation's military.  Without their sacrifice and sense of duty, things could be a whole lot worse for America than they are.  I thank every single person who has ever worn a uniform for this country, for those that have served and retired, and for those who have served and paid the ultimate price.  We owe you big time.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Momma's Chair

Ignore the mess on the floor.  This is how it's been for the past 8+ years now, more so since our youngest, Gabe, came along.

But look at the chair.  It's a glider.  It came with the crib, dresser, and changing table we bought from a family out in Franklin a few months before Hubby and I welcomed our oldest, Zeke, into the world.

The parents who sold it to us said it was bittersweet.  They had so many wonderful memories of their little girl and that chair.  She was about 3 then, and they were ready to move her up to "big girl furniture."  So we bought it for cash and set it up in the yellow nursery that we'd painted and decorated that last month or so of my pregnancy.

I sat in that chair that first week he was home, feeding him bottles every 2 hours throughtout the night.

I sat in that chair while he was a toddler, and he'd be in my lap looking at board books and learning his shapes and colors.

I sat in that chair and laughed as I watched him do the moves in his Wiggles book over and over and over...

I sat in that chair and rocked him to sleep on those nights he'd wake up from a bad dream or had a boo boo and was just being pitiful.

I sat in that chair and cried some times, when I was so frustrated with parenting that I didn't know what to say or do, or if I should scream or just be quiet for a while.

I sat in that chair and fed his baby brother, while he looked on and patted him gently on the head.

I sat in that chair and sung my boys to sleep most nights of the week.

I sat in that chair and nodded off many times, when they insisted I stay with them because they were scared of the dark and wanted me there for "just one more minute."

I sat in that chair and read countless stories, sometimes while they were in their beds, other times with both of them in my lap.  (That got increasingly harder to do as the years went by.)

I sat in that chair and folded clothes...lots of clothes, and a gazillion little pairs of socks...while Zeke would sometimes read to me, and Gabe would be napping in the crib.

I sat in that chair and had long talks with each of them on my lap if they were having a bad day or had trouble in school, sometimes to console them, sometimes to give them a good telling off.

I sat in that chair.

Memories...lots of my own memories...in that chair.  And now, this chair is on its way to someone else's home, a friend of a friend, someone who's expecting their first baby.  I don't know who she is or where she lives, but I hope she has just as many fond memories in that chair as I did.

I see now why it was so bittersweet for that Franklin family.  It's when you finally admit that your kids do grow up, and things do change.

But for 8 years, that was momma's chair.  My chair.  And I'm so glad I get to pass it along.  :)

"Mom! I have a BRILLIANT idea!!"

So my now-8-year-old son just came up with an idea for making life easier:  Clothes that wash off in the shower.

"Say, if I'm wearing long sleeves and gloves, I could just stick my arm in the shower, and the clothes come right off!"

"That's great," I said, "but what about those times when you're out and about on the street, and it starts raining?"

*long pause*

"Well," he says, "except my underwear.  That will have to be regular material, so it won't come off."

Oh good.  I was wondering about that.  However, I'm not sure I want to be walking around in public in just my underwear, I don't care how hard it's raining!

But you never know.  If he keeps at it, he might come up with an idea some day that people could actually use.  And Hubby and I won't have to worry about saving for retirement.  :-D

Don't worry...we will still save for retirement.

*sigh!*

Zeke turns 8!

I can't believe my firstborn is 8 now.  It just can't be possible!  And he's in 3rd grade...wha???  It wasn't that long ago that his dad nearly ran the truck off the road on the way home from the hospital because he kept gazing at the newborn in the car seat between us!  (I think I've told that story before, but I'm never letting him live that one down.  Ever.)

And now he's EIGHT?!?!

Yep, we're just 10 more years away from this one becoming independent.  I'm not sure how I feel about this.

So, he had been asking for a Chuck-E-Cheese birthday party since the day after his 7th birthday party.  But when Chuck-E finally came out, all dressed up in his furry suit, Zeke wouldn't have anything to do with him!  He didn't want to go up and be a rock star, he didn't want to dance, he didn't want to be on their little TV screen...and he was on the verge of tears!

Go figure.  *I* still don't get it.

But in the end, he chose his Uncle Frog to go into the Ticket Blaster for 60 seconds to catch as many tickets as they could, and he seemed to cheer up.  I have no idea what came over him, but I'm glad he snapped out of it.

Anyway, he and his friends, brother, and cousin had a good time.  I don't know any kid that doesn't like going to Chuck-E-Cheese, so I guess it was money well spent.

Incidentally, he never got around to writing out thank you cards to everyone who came, so if you're reading this now, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE PARTY - FROM ZEKE!!

Happy 8th birthday to you, son.  You make your mom and dad so proud.  :)

Writing to the Stars...(or just "A" star in particular, Michael Crawford!)

I'm a bit befuddled.  The one time in my entire life I felt moved enough to try and write a fan letter to a famous person, and I'm being told I can't do that unless I pay money to the official fan club for an opportunity to sign a private guest book that they MIGHT see but will definitely NOT respond to.  Eh?

Let me back up a bit.  A few weeks ago, I got accidentally caught up in an old Britcom from my childhood called "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em."  If you're not familiar with it, look it up on Youtube.  That's where I found it when searching for something else.  Anyway, the title was familiar, so I started to watch it.  Then I watched the next episode, and the next...well, you get the idea.

Crawford as Frank Spencer in "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em," ca. 1972.

The main character is played by British actor and singer Michael Crawford.  I'd heard of him when I was younger, never really gave it much thought, and then all of a sudden, I discover I'm a huge fan of his work.

Sometimes, culture doesn't really slap us in the face until we're much older.  Much, much older.

I didn't go and see him perform in the first musical production of "Phantom of the Opera" in London (while I lived there...gah!), and I didn't really keep up with his singing career or see him in any of his other shows stateside.  But now I have an appreciation for his work and thought I might try and write a letter of thanks to send to him wherever he may be now.  From news articles, it looks like that would be somewhere in New Zealand.

Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman in the original London production of "Phantom of the Opera" in 1986.

Ok, so the fan association that he endorses is shut up like Fort Knox.  The only way in is to pay, and then they have recently (as in just in the last few months) discontinued allowing personal mail to Mr. Crawford.  Like I said, you have access to a private guest book, and there's no way of knowing if your fan message has gotten through or who reads it or anything!

Excuse me, but didn't Mr. Crawford perform for the world?  Isn't he a star that everyone can admire?  Why, then, must I pay a membership fee just to have this privilege of signing an electronic guest book, instead of sending a letter the good old fashioned way?  Are these folks so special that they're the only ones who can have access (so they claim) to his fan mailing address??

It's discouraging.  The man himself seems so attentive to his fans, so thankful for their support in his musical career and now charity work, and yet the one "official" group representing his fan base is being all militant about what information you can have as the general public and what's considered "member only news."  They even have a "member only hotline newsletter."

WTF??!?

I guess what that means for people like me is that we'll just be able to admire him from afar and never get to say, "Thank you" and "Well done!" directly.  If we do, it will be through the fan club police for a nominal fee.

That's just wrong.  There aren't many quality stars out there these days, and Michael Crawford, for one, is getting on in years.  Why shouldn't fans be given the satisfaction of sending them letters of gratitude, whether they read them or not, if nothing more than to give is the comfort of knowing we made our thoughts known (hopefully) and can go on living and admiring the artist in question?

Give me the satisfaction of writing a thank you letter to someone I think is the greatest thing to have happened to the musical showbiz industry!!  Andrew Lloyd Webber wouldn't be the household name he is today, if it weren't for Mr. Michael Crawford.

Michael Crawford, OBE

There, I've said it.  And now, I'll go on with my day feeling a little better for venting, as I give the "Association" the ol' two-finger salute.

Good day.

Humdrum

Nothing particularly exciting is going on right now.  We're getting ready for Zeke's 8th birthday, but other than that, it's just work, home, scouts, soccer, and very little else.  Hubby's work is progressing nicely, albeit a little slowly for our liking, but moving up the ladder takes time.  My work hasn't changed much lately, still doing the same ol' same ol' day in and day out.

It's only been 2 months since our family vacation, but I'm about ready to get up and go somewhere exciting.

On the other hand, it's Friday the 13th today, and those are generally good days for me!  Still waiting for something spectacular to happen...and waiting...and waiting...

*Sigh!*  Just ready for a little excitement, that's all.  Not anything bad or dramatic, just some good old excitement to break up the humdrum that we're in at the moment.  I want to meet a celebrity or something.  lol

I did make a buttermilk pie last night, which turned out really good.  Umm...yeah, that's about it.  Nothing else going on.

Absolutely.  Nothing.  Else.

Oh well, back to work...

The True Cost of Crochet

Some of you know I enjoy to crochet, mostly on the bus to and from work (if I'm not napping, that is).  I picked up this habit back in March 2012, so I haven't been doing it that long, but I've completed several small projects along the way.  I find it relaxing.  It helps me de-stress and decompress, especially at the end of the day and before I pick the boys up from school.

I think of it as my "Xanax."  :-)

So anyway, I happened to be looking at a blog post the other day about crochet, and someone had asked a loaded question:  How do you fairly price your completed items for sale?

*chuckle*  Two words:  You don't.

Why do I say that?  I had a long conversation with Hubby about this yesterday actually. In truth, people who like to knit or crochet do it because of what THEY get out of it.  You make an item with your own hands, and you get a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.  Further more, if you then donate those items to charity or some other good cause, the feeling is amplified.

But people who choose to BUY handmade items often have no idea how much time and effort goes into these one-of-a-kind works of art.  They think of the sweater they can buy at a big box store for $30 and think that your painstaking project should fetch the same amount.  Often, that $30 doesn't even cover the cost of the materials, let alone any kind of compensation for time!

Let me give you an example relevant to myself.  Here are a couple of pictures of one of the larger projects I've completed thus far.  I just call it my purple afghan, but it's an adaptation of a pattern I found online last year:

Ok, now try and decide what you'd pay for it if you wanted to buy it from me?  $40?  $50?  It's made from a soft acrylic yarn, so it's not even what I'd consider a high-end material.

My cost in materials:  12 skeins of yarn at $4.50 per skein plus state sales tax = $59.27
My cost in time:  Approximately 40 hours over 6-7 weeks.

You see where I'm going with this?  :-\

Some people sell small items and make a little money here and there...baby clothing, hats, scarves, bookmarks, household knick knacks, etc.  Blankets and afghans?  Mostly for gifts because people aren't really going to pay what it's worth.

Why am I ranting about this?  No reason really.  But just keep in mind if someone gives you a piece they have made, or if you're quoted a higher price than what you initially planned on paying when wanting to buy, keep this in mind.  You are getting a truly unique piece, one that a machine cannot duplicate (knitting machines are out there, but there isn't anything that can duplicate crochet that I know of).  You're getting something that can be passed down as an heirloom.  And finally, you're getting something that was made with care and--most importantly--LOVE.

Much love and respect to my fellow crocheters and knitters out there!!  :-)

P.S.  If you want to see some of the other projects I've completed, check out my FB page:  https://www.facebook.com/CrochetByNabela

Cub Scouts...Day Camp...AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

I love scouting.  I was a Brownie and then a Girl Scout while I was coming up in England (only we called them Girl Guides), so the fact that my boys are involved in Boy Scouts is just fantastic for me.  Zeke is going into the Bear den this year, but Gabe still has a couple more years before he'll be old enough to be a Tiger cub.

So somehow along the way, I was talked into becoming our pack's committee chair.  The same person who talked me into this ALSO talked me into becoming the program director for our particular day camp.  Naive as I was, I thought that was all part of being this committee chair person thingy.

Not so.

I found out much later that in order to be program director, there was an intense 24-hour training session that needed to be completed.  That would be 2-1/2 days of intense learning over a long weekend at Latimer High Adventure Reservation (beautiful place, by the way) in order to know everything there is to know about planning and executing a week-long program for cub scouts in our area.

The experience itself was fun, and I was able to meet and connect with several like-minded scout leaders who were passionate about Scouting and what it represents.

Fast forward a few months, and the week of day camp is finally here!  :-O  The crowd is a little smaller than it has been in years past, but we still had a blast.  Aside from the sweltering heat for much of the week, I think it went fairly well.  Granted there are several program changes I will make for next year's camp, but now that I have one camp season under my belt, I think I sorta know what I'm doing.

Sorta.  :)

The following is a selection of photos I took during the week.  Due to privacy issues, I can't plaster this blog with pics of my friends' kids without their permission, so I'm avoiding most of the close-up shots unless they are of my own kids.  :-D  This is just a sample of some of the things the kids were able to do during the week.  I didn't get any shots of the woodworking projects because they were being done on the other side of the field.

While I'm glad it's over for now, I'm excited about getting ready for camp next year.  And yes, it's a lot of work, but the payoff of seeing the kids laugh and play and have such a good time is well worth it.

My intense training is good for another 4 years.  Let's see how things go next time!  ;-)

A freakishly fast-moving storm hit on the afternoon of the first day.  We had to cram all the boys into the bathrooms to take cover!  Needless to say, that was not a very pleasant experience.  :-\

The Bears earned their whittling chip, first by carving soap with popsicle sticks, then with their pocket knives.

Camp opening usually consisted of some kind of skit or song.

Making paracord bracelets for one of the craft items.

Probably the sole reason why some of these boys came to camp was to shoot BB guns and arrows on the range.

Saluting the flag

Learning about the local K-9 unit

The boys had some hands-on time with a real Hummer!

One of many guest speakers during the week, the local TWRA officers here are speaking to the boys about wildlife conservation and why it's so important.

This horse, Big Mama, works with the mounted patrol.  She was very friendly.  :)

Letting the tots cool off in the summer heat!

Water Day!  Courtesy of the local Fire Department.

That hose could reach surprisingly far!

In honor of Flag Day, we were able to bring in a military color guard to post the colors for us.  I think the boys were impressed to see the soldiers in uniform.  It was very solemn and fascinating to watch.

After camp was over on the last day, we had a family dinner/picnic.  Here's a shot of the moon as we're about to leave the park.  What a busy week, but we SURVIVED!  :)

Happy 4th Birthday to Gabe!

My Little Camper

Today my baby boy turns 4.  WOO HOO!!!  Four years isn't a long time, but the memory of my stay in the hospital for weeks leading up to his birth seems like a lifetime ago.  I was so glad that, despite him arriving early, he was healthy and never needed much medical attention.

This little ball of energy has kept me and Hubby on our toes.  He's also kept his big brother on his toes, to say the least!

For Gabe's birthday this year, we're at cub scout day camp, so planning a big party just wasn't in the cards.  I'm going to have to find a way around that because it looks like we're going to run into this problem for the next few years.  Ordinarily, it wouldn't be a big deal, but when you're the camp's program director, your attention is elsewhere for the weeks preceding camp.

That being said, Gabe had a wonderful time hanging out with the Tag Alongs.  He had his own "den" to identify with, and after a little coaxing, he finally got used to being away from me and hanging out with his new little pals.

Such a big boy.  So proud.  We love you, Gabey-Gabe!!!!  XOXOXO  :)

Nighttime Battles

Lately, young Gabe has been waking up and climbing into our bed at night.  It didn't used to be a big deal, but he's bigger now, and there's just not enough room for the three of us.  He's decided that he doesn't want to sleep in the middle, so he'll get in on my side and sort of scooch over until I unconsciously give him the room he wants.  Then I'll wake up with my arm asleep and me sandwiched between Hubby and a pair of little feet, at which point I'll either take the little feet and the little person attached to them back to their own room, try and roll over and go back to sleep on my other arm, or get up and take my alarm clock with me to the recliner in the living room.

Some time this morning, he woke me up while he was trying to climb in and lie across my head.  Yes, across my head.  :-\  I don't think he was fully awake.  I got up and walked him back to his room, tucked him back in his own bed, and sat with him for a few minutes until he was good and asleep again.

These nighttime occurrences are taking a HUGE toll on my sleep.  All I ask is for 6 or 7 hours of UNINTERRUPTED snooze time, and I'll be right as rain.

Am I asking for the moon perhaps?  May as well be, huh?

The other issue I've been having is Gabe's need to have me sit with him until he goes to sleep.  Like, every night.  This cuts into my time to get the kitchen cleaned up (which I really need to do before I lose momentum because then it's not gonna happen) or fold and put away the clean laundry that seems to live in all of our laundry baskets.

Yesterday, for instance, Hubby had to actually load the dishwasher.  This is rare, but you know it's bad when he takes it upon himself to do "inside" work.

Heh...yeah.

I'll be ready when day camp and VBS are over.  Zeke's attending VBS this year, which he really seems to enjoy, but the hours of 6-8 p.m. are key in our normal routine.  Running around town picking and dropping off kids during this time (not to mention the meetings and saw dust nights for day camp), coming home late, eating supper late, showering the kids late, and getting them to bed by 10 p.m. is WEARING ME DOWN!!!!

*sigh*  Ok, I feel better.  A little, not a lot, but better.

Just 2 more weeks, and the insanity will be over.  I am going to enjoy my couple of nights ALONE with my HUSBAND for our anniversary, and then I'm going to enjoy the craziness that is a family vacation to NC for a week in the peaceful mountains.

Really?  Who am I kidding?!  LOL  "Peaceful" and "family" don't belong in the same sentence, my friend.  Alas, at least it's a change of scenery.

And now, back to work...

The BEST Easter Egg Hunt!

This year, Hubby and I took the boys to a local Easter Egg Hunt at a community park.  It was our first time going there, but boy, I think we'll be back next year.  "Why?" you ask.

THERE WASN'T A SINGLE PIECE OF CANDY IN SIGHT!!!

That's right.  Not the first piece of Laffy Taffy, M&M, or Tootsie Roll.  Zip...zilch...nada.

There was, however, a mad scramble for a gazillion little plastic eggs tossed out on the main field, all of where were picked over in a matter of seconds, as a couple hundred local kids rounded them up in exchange for prizes.

What a brilliant idea!  Trade in your eggs for non-candy prizes!  Bloody genius, if you ask me.  LOL

So we got there as this thing was just getting going.  I don't recommend doing that because this is really when you can tell the casual Easter eggers from the serious hunters.  The eggs were distributed via golf cart, the age categories called, and the feeding frenzy began.




The Easter Egg Feeding Frenzy!


My kids weren't as fast as some.  In fact, the first couple of tries, neither of them were able to get there hands on a single egg!  It took repeated tries over the next 30 minutes or so for them to score, and even then the pickings were slim.  Luckily, the field was reset every few minutes and a different age category called over the course of a 2-hour period.  The little kids age 3 and under had their own little egg pen to hunt in, so I took the youngest in there and let him at it.

There were also several games on the sides that kids could participate in and win more plastic eggs.  Hoop toss, soccer shoot outs, frisbee toss, mini golf...not bad!  I think we got more eggs from the games than we did from the crazy races across the field.  LOL

Towards the end, there were considerably fewer kids running out on the field, so I think next time, we'll wait until a little later to try that.  Everyone else was in line to trade in their eggs for prizes.  All in all, it was a fun outing.  The boys had a good time, and the weather actually held up.

Now...what to do with all the OTHER Easter candy they managed to bring home from school?!

An Email from Teacher

Hubby and I have asked that Zeke's teachers keep in touch with us on how he's doing at school.  There are two reasons why I feel this works to our advantage:

1)  It allows us to deal with issues as they come up, therefore making the "nip it in the bud" approach a lot more effective.

2)  It scares the crap out of the kids to know that Mom and Dad know what they're up to at school without us even BEING there!!

Yes, this was planned.  MUAHAHAHAHA!!!  *Makes the "I've got my eyes on you" gesture.*  That's right, big boy.

So anyway, I saw an email pop into my Inbox at work this afternoon from The Teacher.  *Cue big, dramatic movie sound for suspense*  I think I actually gulped.  :-|

But it was good news!  She said that my not-so-little Little Man was doing so much better by way of his classroom conduct.  I positively beamed.  :-D  He is, however, not making much effort in his reading group.  Apparently, though he's in the advanced group, he seems to think he can get by with doing the bare minimum.  In no uncertain terms, she let me know this simply won't fly, and that if it continues, he will be dropped back to the mid-level reading group.

I feel pretty confident that his ego will spur him to put forth more effort.  If he's anything like his Momma, THAT simply won't fly!

Other than that, all is well in his 2nd-grade classroom.  What a relief!

Ugh!  The snow flurries are back.  We were enjoying some 74-degree weather yesterday, and now snow flurries today.  I get that it's mid-January and all, but I was really enjoying the 74 degrees yesterday.  I can't tell if that's sleet, but it's making a pleasant little tinkling sound on the window pane by my desk.  Plus the air flow in here is much colder.  Brrrrr!

Can I whine anymore?  LOL!!

Ok, back to work.  Ciao, Bella!

Hello, 2013!

Happy New Year, y'all!  I can't believe it's now 13 years since Y2K and the threat that the entire developed world would come to a screeching halt on account of some computer techies neglecting the fact that 2-digit year dates roll over every hundred years or so.  :-\

I'm sitting in my living room looking at the aftermath of the past week and some.  Right now, my youngest boy is whining because I'm not sitting in the kids' bedroom with him, and he absolutely doesn't want to go to sleep this early.  It's almost 9 p.m. right now, and 5:30 a.m. gets here awful early when you're 3 years old.

Heck...it gets here too early for me, and I'm 34!

Back to work tomorrow, and Hubby went back to work tonight (he's on thirds right now).  I'm kinda excited about getting back to our routine.  I've done very little today besides watch a lot of TV and crochet more preemie hats for a charity project I'm working on.  I cooked, I did a few dishes, but I've managed to spend the entire first day of 2013 in my PJs.  Not kidding.

I have a vague idea of some resolutions I'm kicking around in my mind.  I think that overall, I just want to do better.  Better at what?  Well, just about everything.  Better at balancing the checkbook in a timely fashion.  Better at getting clean laundry folded AND put away before it's time to do more laundry (I guess that also ties in with "better at keeping the laundry baskets empty").  Better at portion control.  Better about fitting cardio into my week than only THINKING about it.  Better at keeping the house clean and tidy.

Sounds like I'm planning on a lot of improvements this year, huh?  It doesn't hurt to aim high, but it's also good to keep my expectations low to avoid disappointment.  LOL!  Seriously though, there is plenty of room for improvement.  I'm not going to set the usual, "I want to lose 20 pounds this year" goal or something and then kick myself when it doesn't happen.  I think I need to focus more on what I want to GAIN this year.

So, based on what I want to be better at, here's a list of things I want to gain in 2013:

• I want to gain an accurate overview of our finances and know where our dollars are going and when.
• I want to gain closets of clean, neatly folded clothing and space for clean laundry when it's time to take things out of the dryer.  I also want to gain the comfort of knowing that socks will always be matched and easy to find.
• I want to gain the self-control that comes with knowing when I've had enough (to eat) and not have to bog myself down with counting calories ALL the time!
• I want to gain the strength and endurance that comes with exercise, as well as the health benefits of an active lifestyle.  (I'm also secretly hoping this will result in the loss of a couple of inches here and there, but that's just gravy if it happens.)  :)
• I want to gain the peace of mind and relaxation of coming home to a clean and orderly house at the end of each day.  Consequently, I want to gain the ability to locate items quickly and have room to store things properly (and the willpower to toss/donate/sell the extra "stuff" we've accumulated over the years that we clearly don't need or plan to use).

I think that making resolutions is great.  I also think that having the will to stick to them has a lot to do with the approach one takes in making resolutions and the means by which we go about putting them into motion.

For now, however, I'm going to cave in to my 3 year old's pitiful attempts to get me to sit with him in the rocker until he goes to sleep.  He's been aggravating me ever since I booted up my laptop, and I don't see it quitting until I give him a bunch of hugs and kisses and pat his back for a few minutes.

Ok, signing off to go get in some snuggle time with my baby boy.  The big one is already asleep, but the little one's gonna take some work.  I can't complain though.  Those boys are only young once, and this little guy is so stinking cute and cuddly at bedtime!

Ugh!  I'm such a sucker for my babies.  :-D  'Night, all!