Thursday, April 30, 2015

Sigh of relief

I can breathe a sig of relief tonight. The baked goods I promised to make are done. But that isn't the real reason. All but one of the kids are in bed...but that isn't the real reason. I picked up the shoes that will be worn to the middle school dance...but that isn't the reason. The kids got to soccer practice and home and fed...but that isn't the reason. The reason is that my oldest auditioned for the high school drum line today. We prayed and hope and worried all day. When I picked her up from school to take her to the audition, she looked like she was going to throw up all over the car. Two and a half hours, and several Tums later, my child emerged from the building and walked to the car with a big grin on her face. She had made the drumline with the job of first bass. I am relieved and thrilled for her. This is a big boost for her and the start of lots of hard work and fun. Maybe I can sleep tonight. Maybe.


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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Worn out mama

I was a field trip mama today for the boy at Safety CIty. It is a miniature replica of our fair city. The children learn about traffic safety and fire safety over the course of the day. They get to ride in little motorized cars and on bikes through the streets, stopping at lights and railroad crossings and following traffic signs. They also get to go through a little house designed to show fire and safety hazards. The house is also equipped with basically a fog machine that simulates smoke for teaching them how to escape from a house on fire. It is a fun place to go, but those ladies in charge mean business. They are serious and no shenanigans are allowed. When the children were driving, I was stationed near the KPD headquarters:



The boy did properly crab walk out of the window onto the safe parch outside, escaping the dangerous smoke:


His teacher, who has been on this field trip numerous times, knew how to prepare himself in the fire house when the kids were taught the proper way to scream for help if they did not have a safety ladder:



The man was right to cover his ears. Fire and rescue from the next county will be able to hear those children.

After all of that, I am ready for bed. Say a prayer for my oldest tomorrow. She will be auditioning for the high school drum line and is scared to death. Send calming thoughts and prayers her way. Night all.
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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Grass nose


I'm going to get a little gross for a minute, so sorry. Just finished mowing the lawn before the rain starts sometime tomorrow. I started sneezing uncontrollably and sneezed out a half blade of grass. Wow and, uh, gross. The weird thing is that I didn't even feel it when it entered the premesis. Sorry. That was gross, but I had to say it out loud.

I have very little other than that to say. I am not "Vagubooking" or "vagueblogging" when I say what I am about to say, but I need to say it and anyone who has children in school will understand what I am saying. We have all felt this way at one time or another. My mom heart is broken in two for one of my children. Life is full of tough lessons about lots of things and moms are here to help soften the blow and dust them off and give them a kiss and tell them it will be okay. Sometimes that just isn't enough. So tonight will be a restless one as I work through every possible scenario to restore kindness and love to the world that has been marred. I covet your prayers. Night all.

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Monday, April 27, 2015

TCAP Eve

Tis the eve of state standardized testing and all the children ar now in their beds. We are trying to make sure they have the proper amount of sleep, the most perfectly balanced nutritional breakfast and the most calm stress free morning to make them super ready to take tests. Tests that basically are designed, in my opinion, to crush their souls and confidence. To crush and exhaust the poor educators. All I can tell my children is to do their best and not let it stress them at all. The craziness starts tomorrow. Let's go!

I'm watching a documentary about a supposed accused serial killer in South Central Los Angeles. Great pre-bedtime viewing. Night all.


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Sunday, April 26, 2015

Proud of my singing girl

Today we went to see the county elementary school honors choir performance. I, along with lots of other moms and dads, have been driving G to the western part of the county to rehearse every non holiday or snow day Monday from 6:30-8. It has been quite a commitment, but she has enjoyed herself and has made some good friends. Their songs represented many places around the world and they sang in several different languages. It was wonderful!! They looked like they were having a great time up there on their risers. Such beautiful and pure sounds coming out of those voices...I was amazed. I am so grateful that our music teacher, Mrs. L, had faith in G and chose her for this opportunity. It has been one she will never forget. That voice of hers is so fun to hear.

I'm hitting the hay now. It's been a big day and I am tired. Here is a pic of G and her music teacher after the program today.






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Saturday, April 25, 2015

I need a sedative

It was another full day of soccer in our houseold. G had three games, one win and two losses. It is hard as a keeper to not take every loss as your fault. The ball got by you, but I am glad she kept perspective for most of the day today. It ended on a sour note, but nothing a little visit with loved ones can't fix. Three games in a day is a lot to ask of anyone, so I am proud of them regardless of what their coach decided to say. The boy played a game as well, peppered in between two of his sister's games. It was in an indoor facility that I hate, but they were protected from potential weather. The boy did an okay job defending...nothing great. He got moved to forward and did better. There are a lot of strong personalities on his team, so it takes a little while to find his way sometimes. Second half started and here comes my baby, in the keeper jersey. I just about threw up on the turf. While he has no real regard for the safety of his body, he is not schooled on all the rules of being a keeper. We were kind of yelling certain things to him, praying that he would be okay and not make a major flub. He saved one goal and landed on the ball, only to be kicked in the neck long after the fact by a raggedy jerk on the other team. The ref made the offending kid come over and pat my son on the back. Okay. My son was gracious as always. Later, the same kid took a dive and started writhing in pain in a performance worthy of an academy award. The "offense" happened in the box, so a PK was given to the other team. We all kind of swallowed hard and braced for the worst. Coaches were yelling advice, the boy looked pale and scared to death. "SETTLE FINLEY!!" we yelled in hopes he would just concentrate on his fate and do his best. The shot was taken and my boy punched it away. DENIED!!! It was so exciting and then I wanted to lay down. Everybody was so proud and they came so close to winning. The final score was 5-4. It was a proud moment for all of us.

Now I need to pass out. Night all.


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Friday, April 24, 2015

It is going to be interesting

It has been a busy day for the hub and me. We went to pick up the oldest's glasses prescription and wound up getting our eyes examed while we were there. I love Dr. Hopper and he gets me and all of my eye issues and still keeps me as a patient. I now have a snazzy $9 pair of glasses on order and have my new one hour glasses on as I type. I'm still getting used to a stronger prescription and have been taking weird steps as I feel like I am wearing magnifying lenses on my head. They really aren't that much stronger, but I have had the same prescription for quite a while. There is a learning curve involved. We also got S some glasses, but will go back to get those at a later time. The men in the family got there hair cut and I made some baked beans for tomorrow. The one hour glasses places are quite the people watching venue. I found a pair of glasses that would certainly be the conversation piece, but I was given an emphatic two thumbs down:



Every girl's dream is to have that Where's Waldo? look, right? Maybe not.

I am currently lounging in my pj's with my new glasses on, preparing to watch the Bruce Jenner interview. As a young child, I was desperately in love with the man on TV and the Wheaties box:



I don't know what we will find out about him tonight, well, I guess we are all pretty sure what we will find out tonight. I wish him well regardless of what is going on. It is just a shame that if he hadn't been on the stupid show on E with the Kardashians, he could have quietly retired into private life, transitioned into whatever he wanted to be and lived under the radar. I don't understand what he is going through, but I have no right to judge...there is no perfection in my body.

Night all...the Sharks are almost through negotiating and I am getting kids to bed. They need some sleep for sure.
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Thursday, April 23, 2015

I have a problem

I worked on lots of laundry and busy work today. Whoopee. Not very fun, but needed for sure. So after I finished the majority of what I needed to do, I decided to take a little trip. One of the better stringed instrument stores in our area, Pick N Grin, has sold their building and will be going the exclusively online route from now on. I heard they were having good sales, so I figured I would check to see if they had any ukuleles or other fiddly fun instruments. To my great delight, they did and they were all 50% off. WooHOO!!!! I am still in need of both concert and tenor sized ones to round out my collection. I realized that I couldn't justify both at once, so I found a unique, good sounding and affordable tenor with a hard case to keep it safe. I have yet to name him, yes it is a him, but I will let you know when I come up with one. I ended up also getting another tin whistle and some fiddly instruments. I am determined to make my children the family version of Jimmy Fallon's The Roots when they perform songs on classroom instruments. It will happen, my friends, it will. I finally cut myself off and escaped when a loud and proud homeschool mom was starting to get in a verbal confrontation with the owners over violins for what she termed her "symphony's worth of children" in her family. Don't want to get involved in all that.

Here is my new acquisition:



He is not from my usual brand, but I like the shark's tooth opening and the snazzy look. Hopefully I can post a song for you soon.

Night all.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

I almost wet my pants

The leaves and grass are green...the azaleas and dogwoods are blooming...Spring is in the air. The dog is enjoying her time outside chasing squirrels and visiting with the neighboring dogs and cats. She has been fixated with a certain spot outside the back door and goes to it every time she leaves the house. Today was no exception, but I never see what she sees. She has been trying to snap at bees and other flying creatures, so I just figured it was just another one of those. Because of the disaster next door, we have had a few gray-brown long tailed cheese eating vermin appear, but I have not seen one recently. So today, I let the dog in to have some lunch and the dog went BONKERS. She was scratching at something and then snapping at something. I had her bowl of food in my hand, trying to get her attention. Then I saw it. Then I saw it disappear except for its tail wiggling outside the dog's mouth. I screamed, "NO!!" and she dropped it, ran towards me and started on her food. Thank goodness for my giant Libman dust mop. Together we encouraged a quick departure and possibly a minor heart attack in its poor chest:



Spring has sprung...and the little skink was "sprung" out of the jail of our breakfast room and into the sweet freedom of our garage. He'll sleep well tonight...if the experience didn't kill him.
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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Lawn mowed...if only the neighbors would follow suit

"Love thy neighbor"...I get it. I have tried very hard to be understanding and kind and hold my tongue. Our yard doesn't look perfect and I don't expect a landscaped piece of art for my yard or our neighborhood, but a little bit of care is certainly appreciated. My grandmother could have been hurting from every inch of her body while struggling with heart issues and a mulititude of other things, but her yard was always mowed and trimmed. She felt that your yard was a reflection of how you cared for your family and insisted on it being cared for in an appropriate way. Not everyone feels that way and that is okay. What really chaps my rear end, however, is the fact that our neighbors have taken a good solid house that was built by a great man and turned it into what looks like a meth den. A house is a living thing and needs to be constantly cared for and maintained. I don't do as much as I should, but we do our best. When something rots, we fix it. If something is dirty, we clean it. If something is in disrepair, we save our money and fix it. The house in question provides many questions from friends and family who pass by and wonder what on earth goes on over there. The lawn is over a foot high. The weeds are growing out of the driveway cracks. The house looks like it could fall apart at any time. Some days I want to go over and just mow the lawn, but that would solve NOTHING. I can feel the cycle ramping up again. Here is what we are in for in the next few months. Ready? Here we go. Step one: Someone is going to get tired of seeing the crack house look in our neighborhood so they will call codes enforcement. The third or fourth little slip of paper will be taped on their door giving them notice of so many days to clean up their yard. If you all remember correctly, I think I shared it, it was their dog that was in "disrepair" and needed to be cared for last time. That happened a couple of times and now the yard. I have never called because of what happens in step two. Step two: the offenders then go thermonuclear and hit every door on the street and cuss us all out, pointing out that it must be nice to be "rich" and have a working lawn mower and luxuries like clippers and a working rake. Threats wil be leveled that the ex husband who works for the sheriff's department will be called and we will all be sued for harrassment when NONE of us called. The few callers have turned out to be residents of other streets who were leisurely walking and reported an eyesore in the neighborhood. Step three will include the family driving by while my children are in the yard, flipping them off as they play soccer next to the driveway. Then the kids will not feel safe in their own yard. I feel like the mess is going to restart any day.

I will step off my soapbox, but not before I say this to my neighbors: swallow your pride and ask for help with your yard. When it gets much longer, that's when your yard starts having rat problems and they come visit us. That is when I will have a real problem. Clean it up for goodness sake.

Night all. Time to watch some Andy Griffith show and calm my nerves down.


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Monday, April 20, 2015

Got some perspective

Every once in a while, really much more often than that, we all need an event to give us some perspective in our lives. Saturday was one of those times for me. Our church, for the second year, participated in a Stop Hunger Now food packaging event. Last year we started off packaging 20,000 meals to be sent out in the world to feed hungry people. They have found that when the people know there is food at their school, parents are more likely to send to their children to school. Malnutrition decreases, pregnancy rates decrease and the children just feel better since they have food in their tummies. Hunger could end in our lifetime and just be something our grandchildren read about on Wikipedia. There is enough food here. My brother made a kind of embarrassing(for me)comparison about how much of an impact could be made with a small sacrifice on our parts. Five venti carmel macchiatos from Starbucks, on each day of your work week, is the equivalent of 63 meals. Wow. Just something we drink. The Lego set my son got for his birthday, a $36 expense, is equal to 124 meals. I mean, come on. And I get where people say, "Why is it my problem? I don't live in Sudan or Belize or Zimbabwe. Not my problem." I guess I feel like I have been blessed with a lot and the thought of a little somebody with a hurting, empty tummy just kills me. So our church decided to do our part to bring an end to this horrible and solveable problem.

This year we decided to double our efforts from last year and package 40,000 meals in four hours. My brother, sister in law and I were super fired up. Last year's event had been so fun and so moving that we couldn't wait to do it again. Honestly, I think we would be Packaging Event gypsies and just go from venue to venue and help package meals if we were responsibility free. Alas we are not, so we do the best we can. The children were bummed that they had a soccer tournament that same day, but they set up and worked until the last minute before they needed to leave.






The hub wired up all the scales and sealers. I didn't take his picture since I figured he didn't want his rear end shown for all to see. He worked hard and rocked that hair and beard net. As the Beatles sang "Twist and Shout", people representing every generation in our church danced and poured and scooped and sealed the morning away. Representatives from the various missions our church supports were packing right along with us. Every 1,000 meals packed brought with them the gong, which various people rang with great gusto. In 3.5 hours, we were done. 40,000 meals like that. Last year's meals went to Belize and we anxiously await the notification of where this year's meals will be sent. When we sealed each box of rice and veggies and nutrients, we were humbled by the fact that the next hands to touch that food would be the people preparing and eating the meals. That's pretty heavy when you think about it. I don't take that lightly. Missions and events like these are not for everybody and I don't post this as a blog post guilt trip. I post it to remind myself how fortunate I am and how giving up little luxuries can make a huge impact for someone in need. I am so grateful for another Stop Hunger Now and missions weekend experience. I can't wait for another. My brother and I encourage you to attend a packing event near your city. It will be something you won't soon forget.



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Sunday, April 19, 2015

Dance hater

In middle school, I got asked to go to the dance. I was a sixth grader and every grade could go. I still remember what I wore: navy pants, a tan camp shirt, chunky red wood beaded necklace with matching earrings and a pair of red flats. My hair was perfectly done(I thought) and had the right amount of White Rain or Aqua Net hairspray on it to make that helmety look. Flashback a week earlier, I was on the bus back from the regional science fair at ETSU in Johnson CIty, TN. My presentation on spiders had not placed, but I got to eat junk food from a concession stand at a university...so it was a win-win. We were playing Truth or Dare, which I despise, in the bus on the way home. I was sitting next to Chris G. and we were dared to hold hands for 10 minutes. After the ten minutes were up, he continued to hold my hand, so of course this was just amazing. We decided to meet at the dance the next week and be each other's "date". My mom made sure I felt good about the outfit I wore and was very patient during my freak outs whilst getting ready. My friends and I rode together in the back of some sort of SUV, I can't remember whose, and primped each other up until the point of arrival. Chris was there when we arrived, looking cleaned up in probably some khakis and an Izod shirt with some Docksiders on I think. We danced maybe two fast dances kind of around each other, you know middle schoolers, and then a slow dance started. He said he would get us some punch and I was left to discuss his kind manners with my friends as they were doing the same of their "dates". Their dates returned with their drinks. Mine didn't, but we were all doing that friends forming a circle dancing with each other thing and I didn't think much of it. The time stretched to an uncomfortable length and I began to worry a bit. DeBarge's "Rythym of the Night" came on the sound system. I walked across the gym towards the refreshments and the bathrooms. "Look out on the street now, the party's just beginning..."...I walked a little farther...."A night for romance, a night you won't forget...". I looked up. In the dark stands, there stood Chris and Suzanne T. exploring what each had eaten for dinner that night, apparently, as tightly locked as they were. They took a breath, looked at me, both grinned and went back to work. "Tonight is gonna be a night like you've never known...". No kidding. I was devastated. Humiliated. Crestfallen. Then there were Chris and Suzanne sightings all over various parts of the gym area. "Hey Jenny? Someone some Chris and Suzanne making out in Coach Mo's office." "Hey! Did you know Suzanne was kissing Chris next to the concession stand." I was trapped. The parents had gone out to eat and were picking us up after. I didn't want to ruin my friends' dance, but the tears came quickly. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't escape my utter devastation and humiliation. My mom picked me up, I got in the car and fell apart. My mother held me and stroked my hair. My father paced and said, "I'm so sorry, Ladybug." My brother looked murderous. I cried myself to sleep and had that sick tummied feeling the next day and again on Monday when I had to face him at school.

Did the world end? No. Was he the love of my life? No. Did I end up with a wonderful husband and a beautiful family and Chris and Suzanne can go shove it? Yes. What is the reason for this post? Why now? My oldest is going to a kind of prom in May to bid a somewhat fond farewell to middle school. As of now, she and some friends are going as each others' dates which I think is great. Lots of her friends have dates and that is fine too. I just want her first fancy legit dance to be a happy experience with fun and laughter and positivity. I am 43 years old and I honestly think one thing: I will be in Shady Grove nursing home with an adult diaper on, watching a neverending loop of Wheel of Fortune unable to recognize my family members and if DeBarge's "Rythym of the Night" comes on, I will want to be physically ill. I have to turn the channel or leave the area if that song comes on now...and I am a happily married woman. I would love for a sweet boy to ask my daughter to the dance, but not if she has to have a DeBarge experience like I did. My heart still hurts for my middle school self. Luckily, my girl is fine to go with her friends. She also has better sense than I do. Don't ever settle for a Truth or Dare date to the dance, girls. Not a great way to start a relationship.

Night all.


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Saturday, April 18, 2015

Zzzzzz.....

I really want to talk about the day we had and the 40,000 meals we packaged, but I am so exhausted right now. It was a super successful day that I will expound upon tomorrow. RIght now I need to snuggle up with some children and get ready for bed before I have to work tomorrow. The excitement never ends.

Night all.


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Friday, April 17, 2015

My dogs are barking

We had a mission celebration dinner this evening at church. Several speakers who serve missions our church supports spoke and they all dined on a fine lasagna meal. I worked all day with Mr. D in the kitchen to prepare the meal. After school, the hub dropped the two youngers off with me and we put them to work. They prepared the desserts for everybody. They also helped run the dishwasher and set the tables. Then our representative for Stop Hunger Now, R, arrived and we started the process of unloading the truck and setting up the church gym for our event tomorrow. I cannot tell you how excited I am about doing SHN tomorrow. This is our second year at church doing it and they are so fun. But more than that, they are such a powerful way to fight the scourge that is hunger. I can't wait to share more tomorrow. Right now, I need to take some Tylenol or Motrin for my feet. The floors of that kitchen are unyielding.

Night all.


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Thursday, April 16, 2015

Taco tummies

It is a soccer night which means a late supper. The kids were all rumbly in their tummys and just super happy and delightful in their "weakened" hungry states. I have never been a super fan of the seasoning packets that you put on ground beef to make taco meat. It is the kind of flavor that you are tasting 24hours later and I really am fine not ever tasting it again. My oldest loves to have taco night and had been begging for one for a while. So, in trying to win my first Mother of the Year award, I bought that blasted packet and prepared a taco feast worthy of Cinco de Mayo. The kids came in from soccer practice covered in mud and exhaustion and ready to eat the placemats. Then they stopped in their tracks. "Do I smell tacos?", one asked. "Yes you do." In the words straight out of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, "And there was much rejoicing." Now the kids and their taco tummies are headed to bed and I am headed to find the Tums.

Night all.


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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Rain, folding and Barney

I did not have a great's night sleep last night. I had ice cream for the first time in a whille and my body quickly told me that it did not appreciate that choice. It grumped at me for most of the meaty part of my sleeping time, so naturally I have been a sloth today. The rain hasn't helped either. I'll admit it right now, I got home from school drop off, put laundry in the washer and sat down on the couch. Conked out. I woke up, not really aware of my surroundings, and forced myself to get busy. I went to Kroger and Dollar General to pick up more cleaning and laundry supplies. I know...it's getting wild up in here. After I took care of the dog, I went upstairs and put Netflix on with a constant stream of Andy Griffith Show episodes and started cleaning the bathroom. Then the kids' "apartment"(play room) as we call it. Then I folded socks and underwear. Socks, underwear and Barney Fife. What else does one need? Not much.

On a completely unrelated note, I can't even stand the sweetness in this picture:



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Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Bed of torture

So when the hub and I decided to buy bunk beds yea many years ago, we realized very quickly that, while great for saving space in a small room, they were an instrument of parental torture when it came to changing the sheets. We have tried fifty different methods of changing them, but the only truly effective way is to actually remove the mattress put as much back on and then pray it doesn't slip off when you try to haul it back up top. We've shoved a kid up there to try and make it themselves. Not a great plan. Tonight I tried to pull the mattress off by myself as the hub was at a church meeting. The sheets had to be washed since they were full of sand that the boy was truly unable to scrub out of his head. This proved to be a scene worthy of Buster Keaton or the 3 Stooges. As I twisted the mattress around, the connected wooden slats started shifting as well and falling to the bed below like a bunch of the flat green roof slats in Lincoln Logs. This provided a smaller and smaller support for the rest of the mattress to lay on...which also caused me to panic. "GET IN HERE SOMEBODY!!!!" The kids ran in, assessed the situation and had a little chuckle with their mother holding the matress precariously balanced on what was the equivalent of a 1x4...maybe. You know know me and math. My oldest was very brave and got on the lower bed and replaced each fallen slat, knowing that the mattress could fall on her body anytime. It took one 43 year old, a 13 year old and a 10 year old to make a bed. The boy looked on with thanks and admiration. I need to go lay down now. Good grief.


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Monday, April 13, 2015

Bright spot of the day

Monday, Monday..... It wasn't a horrible day. I got laundry done and worked out and played with the dog and did my usual chauffeur duties. I read an evil but hysterical blog that recaps every 19 Kids and Counting episode. I just about wet myself whilst waiting for G's choir rehearsal to be over. Let me know if you'd like the link...just don't judge me too harshly.

Today I went for my weekly sojourn to the PO Box. When we went through the dry first few weeks, I decided to make my visit once a week so I wasn't looking every day. We have had some letters and postcards and the kids are thrilled. As always, they squirel them away to a drawer or under a pillow before I can take a picture, but today was different. I got a picture of the two jewels in the box from one of my three faithful readers, A:



She is obviously a woman of great taste, because anything with a pickle on it is money in our house. The boy quickly procured the pickle card about and has taken it to his desk to try and reproduce it. He belly laughed for quite a while. Thank you for the much needed bright spot on this Monday! Who doesn't love a good pickle...I mean really?
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Sunday, April 12, 2015

I quit

I am so glad my husband and children are back home safely from day two of the tournament. Both had losses, but it was okay with them. They could come home and rest for a while. S had planned to go to her choirs tonight and was ready, but her new bottom braces kicked into high gear and she was in agony. She looked like she would puke any minute and the thought of her singing hurt me. So she took a nap. I had two meetings that lasted way too long. That is all I will say about that.

I am just so frustrated tonight. I really want to quit. Not like quit with having a heartbeat, so don't get crazy. I just want to quit, run away with my family and never be seen or see anyone again. I am so angry.

I am going to bed to hopefully sleep my attitude off. Not feeling too positive about that happening.


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Saturday, April 11, 2015

Super short post

It has been a long, stressful day where I have had to be very restrained as a parent. All I will say is that I thought coaches were supposed to be the type of peopl who build their team up, instruct and construct, but empower them to want to be better. I am not impressed with an individual today who, frankly, acts less mature than my 8 year old...and then wonders why the kids are afraid of him. Well, hmmmm. My husbnad has coached for years, was effective and the most violent thing he did was drop his clipboard on the ground.

I hate the heat of summer, but I am ready for the break. I need to love on my children in a less hostile environment.

Night all.

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Friday, April 10, 2015

Another short post

It has been a busy day, but I feel like I have gotten my school mom points for the week. The candy cake is finished and gone from our house. When I left the silent auction tonight, I must confess my feelings were a bit bruised at the lack of bidding. But I can't blame anyone. I wouldn't bid on a mess of candy...even if it looked like this:



Oh well. I also helped my friend D a little today with assembling baskets for our middle school foundation's gala that is tomorrow night. She has worked her tail off and is still at it. I imagine that she will be sleeping until 4pm on Sunday after it is all over. She does a great job, bless her heart. Such a great job.

I have to get to bed. The kids are in a tourney all day and we have to get up before the rooster crows. Oh, and at Family Fun Night tonight, my kid got put in jail. You gotta watch that one!



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Thursday, April 9, 2015

It is almost outta here!

The candy cake is almost done, friends.  Praise the Lord.  All I have to do is safely transport the goods to school, place them in the hands of the boy's teacher and then hit the road, Jack.  I may do a little jig and sing a little song.  Again, if I have to see another box of movie theatre candy, or any other type, for a long time....it will be too soon.  The hub has endured way more moaning and groaning about this blasted thing than any human should endure.  God bless his patience.  The kids have been so very restrained in the whole process and have not once tried to steal candy from the decorating supplies.  God bless their restraint.  I just pray that since I had to hot glue the different candies on the structure that people won't cuss me when they go grab a peanut butter cup.  It was the only way to keep it all together.

I hope everyone has a good rest of their evening.  I am going to go wash the funk of the day off of myself and try to get to sleep for a little bit tonight.  We'll see how that goes.  It's a crap shoot every night.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Trackin' it today

Today was the "East" division of the county elementary schools(even though we are really North)Track meet. My child was geared up and ready to do some serious tug o' warring. The high school stadium stands were still puddled with the rain of yesterday and the heat of the day had not yet turned up to massively uncomfortable. I guess she's at that age of being embarrassed by her parents, and I'm pretty embarrassing, so she was less than talkative or cooperative with pictures. Her team pulls their tough hearts out. They placed 5th place out of about 8 teams(maybe more). Since the ground was super soggy, there were lots of soggy bottoms and sore backs from slipping and landing with loud, painful thuds on the hard ground. So I watched my child and then I left to start my duties at home. I am proud to say I successfully applied the right amount of sunscreen to avoid sunburn...especially 80+ degree day sunburn. The tug o war girl? Not quite so much. Oh well.

Time is passing too quickly and I can't believe this is her last track meet appearance as the yelling tug o' war girl. I'll miss it. She's one in a million.






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Tuesday, April 7, 2015

i'm in candy hell

Our school's Family Fun Night is coming up on Friday and every year they have a silent auction that is pretty successful in the fundraising depart. Each class has a themed "basket" to go in the auction and there are always some really neat ideas. G's class is doing a fire pit one with an actual fire pit and all the stuff you would use over a fire. Neat-o for sure. I have done many a movie basket or game night basket or whatever basket. This year I have been charged to do a candy basket. I chose to change it up a little and make it into a candy "cake". I would show you the picture, but it isn't quite finished. All I have to say is that I never thought I would be sick of seeing Reese Peanut Butter Cups. They were just collateral damage in the grand scheme of things, swimming in a sea of Blow Pops and Dum Dums and 100 Grands and Milky Ways and movie theatre candy boxes. All over the kitch counter. The kids are even done. That's saying a lot.

I will post a picture when I'm done. Right now I'm going to bed. I'll dream of candy and being chased by a syringe full of novocaine for the resulting cavities.


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Monday, April 6, 2015

Short post...sick tummy

So I will admit that having a little bowl of yesterday's leftover baked beans and chasing it with about a half cup of Strawberry Quik was not the best of ideas. Especially when I worked out today and worked out hard...that Quik probably cancelled out the planks and squats in three swallows. And Quik isn't even my favorite splurgy drink to have. So, TMI for all, my trips to see a man about a horse are coming in waves of about every 7 minutes which leave me little time to discuss anything in great length. I will say that I did have a hard work out, but the planks get a little easier each time he makes me do them. I will never be a fan of squats either, but someone noticed the other day that the workouts are working ad so I will press on towards the goal. It is hard for me to simply to the compliment that was given without analyzing it to the nth degree. I was told at my last training session that if I continued to question compliments that squats and planks would be added, so mum's the word.

On that note, I have a rumbly in my tumbly and I am going on a search for some ginger ale. Curse you, Strawberry Quik.


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Sunday, April 5, 2015

Happy Easter Day!!

It was a beautiful day to wake the children up and celebrate the good news! Easter is always a busy and somewhat stressful day when you work at a church, but it was so nice to see so many new faces and some old familiar faces that we've missed. Hopefully coming today will inspire them to return again soon. The music, the message, the morning. It was lovely. The annual release of the butterflies, the bringing of flowers for the special cross outside...all things that make the day even more special. I am grateful for my faith, grateful to my church, and most importantly, grateful to God for saving me.

I hope your Resurrection Day was filled with faith, family and friends. I am one blessed woman.



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Saturday, April 4, 2015

Games and Hunts

The children are just about all conked out and the hub and I aren't far behind. Three games this morning in the wee chilly hours in Sevierville. The boy was not feeling great due to his crazy allergies and, well, two teen/tween girls who like to sleep in later than the normal school time on Saturdays. The boy's games did not turn out so well as they were not evenly matched. But they sure did try hard. G's game was a 2-1 win. I paced back and forth between the two with another mom and prayed that no one would get hurt. The boy was struggling by the end with his yucky cough and his torn up legs. He reenergized when he found out that there was an Easter egg hunt in his future for the afternoon. Our neighbors and dear friends joined up with us to have a two part egg hunt in each of our yards. The kids hunted and traded eggs and played a good chunk of the afternoon. It was so very nice. Afterwards, we left out for one more game for G to step into the goal. It makes me sick at my stomach, but luckily this was a not a terribly challenging team to play. I think she made a good showing today and it is always terrifying and fun to watch her in her element.

Time to get clean, go to bed and get ready for a wonderful Easter morning.


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Friday, April 3, 2015

Say yes to the dress...mom torture

I can understand why, at the high end wedding dress shops, they give out beverages to the people who are watching the fitting. Our oldest is going to the 8th grade dance at her school(in May)and the pressure has been on to get a fancy dress. The lion's share of her friends have gotten dresses and several of them have dates also. S has not and so several of them are going together as each others' dates. I am certainly a fan of this idea as the thought of her having a date with a boy gives me hives. I know it is coming. So, anyway, we went to the mall today to investigate dresses. I found that, with the exception of a few, the dresses resembled something from Toddlers and Tiaras or some girl's first communion. She showed me her friends' dresses and I like them all, but that narrows down the choices for sure. I saw that one store allowed you to reserve your dress so that no one else at your school whould have the same one. It all came with a hefty convenience fee of course. So after going to 10 stores at the mall at least plus a Kohl's and a SteinMart, we were heading for the reserve your dress store. Then we saw it...a bridal store. Although I threw up in my mouth a little bit, we went in to a surgically lit mammoth room with a gazillion dresses of all colors and sizes. S's eyes got as big as saucers and I broke out into a sweat. We tried to navigate, but all the dresses started to look the same and S and I were getting short with each other. Then an angel sent straight from Heaven, Bev, came to assist us. She threw us a ffashion life preserver and found us some styles which could then be translated into colors that were of the girl's choice. To the dressing rooms we went and I sat there with moms who were seeing their daughters in their wedding dresses for the first time. They were fanning themselves, wiping tears and clicking pictures all at the same time. Thank goodness she found her dress of choice quickly and I found the price acceptable and not one that would give her father a coronary and we were outta there. Bev, the dress angel, saved the day. Thank you, Bev.

Now I'm off to bed. Early soccer morning tomorrow. Night all.


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Thursday, April 2, 2015

Gearing up for a search

Tomorrow is Good Friday which means the children are out of school. They have a politically correct name for the reason why they are out, but we all call it Good Friday. In addition to coloring eggs, making bunny cookies and maybe some hot cross buns, we will also be attended the Service of the Shadows at church. I actually just got home from the Maundy Thursday service. These Holy Week services always are quite meaningful for me. Good Friday's especially. But before all that happens, the oldest and I are going hunting for a fancy dress. Sigh. Tomboy mom trying to find a prom-esque dress for the 8th grade dance. Sigh again. There are a couple reasons to dread this. One, the thought of wearing a sequiny fancy dress sounds so uncomfortable to me, even when I had a decent body shape. Two, the anticipation alone is stressful and tension is building for an epic dressing room brawl between two or more family members when constructive criticism is offered tomorrow. I feel it in the air. Three, if I buy her an eighth grade dance dress, then I am admitting that she is about to exit middle school. I am not ready for that. At all. Nope. I don't want to talk about it anymore.

Time for denial by watching some trash on television. Night all.


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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

April Fool's Day overload

I love a good joke as much as the next mom, but enough already. Notice I said "good". With the exception of one joke done on two sisters that I was involved with, the 575,000 others fell flat. "Hey Mom?! There's a dancing dog in the front yard!'. "Oh yeah? Get a picture of it." "APRIL FOOLS!! I can't believe you fell for it!". Yeah, me too. Next child walks in..."Mom? The teacher said I need a $500 check for school or I get held back." "Oh okay. Well, at least when you repeat you won't have to study." "Mooo-ooom! April Fools!". All day long. I did help the boy fool both his sisters at different times with a super crazy, but somehow believeable story that blew their minds. According to the story, their brother cracked after months of playground violence and took to kung foo fighting on the playground all over the offending classmate. We even said he wasn't going to get Wednesday night dessert which was a major "Oh my gosh!" moment for both the girls. He hid his face and would not answer questions...except for one. "Bubby? Who did this to you? What was his name?". "You want to know his name? That kid wa named...APRIL FOOLS!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!". The girls were shocked he had gotten them and relieved that he had not actually gotten in a fight.

He is already plotting next year's prank. I'm going to bed. I'll need to rest up for that.


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