The Reason...

My family and I saw this magnet last night on a SUV as we were driving around town looking at the Christmas displays. It led to a discussion about how He is the Reason for the season and not all the commercialization that the retail industry focuses on.

From our house to yours -

May you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Why?!?

Why do the kids wait until the holidays to get sick? The Girl came down with the crud Monday night, so she really couldn't enjoy her "skip" days from school (she was exempt from semester finals). Then, yesterday afternoon The Boy woke up from his afternoon siesta with a 104 temp. Talk about freaking mom out. I always go into panic mode when he spikes a fever like that. He had all the symptoms of strep; so like a good mom, I treated them symptoms until I could get him into see the doctor. I took him to the doc this morning only to find out that it's not strep or the flu, just some funky virus that we can't do anything about. Grrr...

All I know is...I DON'T want this virus. Guess in addition to baking this weekend, I'll be doing some super duper cleaning, too. I've already been Lysoling everything in sight.

Let's Bake!

Okay...the packages and Christmas cards are mailed. Time for serious baking! I received a new recipe from Hubby's co-worker - "The Elevator-Lady Cookies." The title alone should tell you how old this recipe is - I've never seen an elevator lady, at least not in person. I've been told the cookies are similar to those Moravian spice cookies. Yum!!! Those are on my list to bake along with peanut blossoms, fudge puddles, spritz cookies and oatmeal cookies with blueberries. Ha! Looks like I'm going to be busy tomorrow.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Overwhelmed

That's how I've been lately. Every year I promise myself that I will not to try to do too much between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And every year, I break that promise. This year I had the added bonus of having my hubby travel to Italy for a week earlier this month. Ugh...though he did bring back some wonderfully decadent chocolate and wine!

Quite frankly, I'm exhausted. My family and I are so ready for Christmas Break. It starts Thursday. We are not planning to travel nor are we having company come in. I'm being selfish this year. It's just going to be the four of us and I'm really looking forward to it. We have a couple of parties to go to between now and New Year's, but that's all that we are planning to do. Time to catch up on some reading and movies that we've wanted to see. Now, we just need the Christmasy weather...well, as Christmasy as weather gets here in No. AL. That would make our Christmas break perfect.

We are all through with our Christmas shopping. The first time that we won't be running out on Christmas Eve to finish up. Although I haven't mailed our Christmas cards, all the packages have been mailed...let the fun begin.

Now, where's my cookbook. It's time for some serious cookie baking.

Picture

Just a note about my header picture. That was taken in January 2007 at my parents house in Arizona. Usually, the only snow that they see is up on the mountain (behind the camera). Not this time, Mom & Dad received 8 inches of snow. They saw more snow in AZ than their former neighbors in Minnesota did in January. Strange!

I hope that you enjoy the scene. I love it!

Merry Christmas!

Disaster Area

That describes my house right now.

I've been neglecting it this past week. Too busy prepping for Hubby's Italian trip and attending band performances. Now, I must face the consequences. Dining room table is full of Christmas decorations to be put out and fall decorations to be put away. I noticed this morning that I REALLY need to vacuum the living room - pine needles every where. However, it's worth the mess for that wonderful Christmas tree smell.

Guess I know what I'll be doing this weekend. But if I get it all done, I can play Rayman Raving Rabbids. Love those bunnies!!!

Italian Chocolate

That's what Hubby will be bringing back for me from Torino, Italy!

I can't wait - it's soooooo good. Much better than anything we can get in the States. I'll be sure to post some pictures of the goodies he brings home. They are just as delicious to look at as they are to eat!

Thanksgiving

I hope that everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving. I did. My brother and sister-in-law came to visit for the weekend. We had a blast. I'll post pictures next time.

Right now, I'm trying to do laundry, finish putting up Christmas decorations, putting away Fall decorations and countless other little things before going back to work tomorrow. It's always something. Oh and this past weekend kicked off the holiday shopping season. Yippee!!!!

So Proud

That's me. I'm so proud of my son. This morning as I was dropping him off at the middle school, he took the time to help a fellow classmate. The young lady had dropped some papers as she was getting out of her parents' car. S stopped and picked the papers up for her. Watching him do that brought tears to my eyes.

Guess Hubby and I are doing something right. :)

THUD!!!

That's what we heard last Monday evening. Hubby and I were enjoying the peace & quiet after a busy day. The kids were in bed, I was reading, Hubby was surfing and MNF was on in the background. All was right with the world. Until...

Thud!Crash!Thud! "Did you hear that?" I asked Hubby. Cautiously, we made our way to our bedroom, through our bathroom to the closet where we found two of the shelves had fallen. Of course, they were loaded up with Hubby's shirts and pants among other things on the top shelf. What a mess! The shelving hadn't been secured into the studs and had ripped chunks out of the drywall when it fell. NOT a good thing!!! That's what you get when the builder has inexperienced people working for them. Grrr...

Anyway, we picked up the clothes, cleaned up the mess and fixed the drywall. Hubby rehung the shelves and put the screws in the STUDS (where they should have been in the 1st place). Now, we're checking all of the shelves that the builder put up. Don't want that to happen again. Especially in the kids' closets.

We can laugh about it now, but we are very grateful that it didn't happen in the middle of the night.

10, 9, 8,...Meme

10 FAVORITES
Favorite Color: pink
Favorite Food: tomato-basil bruschetta
Favorite Month: November - Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday
Favorite Song: "Follow You Down" - Gin Blossoms
Favorite Movie: Chocolate
Favorite Sport: Football!
Favorite Season: Fall, followed closely by spring
Favorite Day of the Week: Friday
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Cherry Garcia
Favorite Time of Day: early evening

9 CURRENTS
Current Mood: Refreshed - just woke up from a two-hour nap
Current Taste: Mint toothpaste
Current Clothes: black yoga pants, pastel tye-dye t-shirt, socks & tennis shoes
Current Desktop: trees in full autumn color
Current Toenail Color: nothing
Current Time: 4:19 PM
Current Surroundings: desk in the breakfast nook
Current Thoughts: I need to swap clothes from washer to dryer.

8 FIRSTS
First Best Friend: Dawn
First Kiss: Chris (1st bf in hs)
First Screen Name: soccermom_35824
First Pet: black cockapoo named Missy
First Piercing: ears (at age 8)
First Crush: Chris
First CD: Phil Collins "But Seriously," I think.

7 LASTS
Last Cigarette: nope, no way!
Last Drink: Water
Last Car Ride: yesterday afternoon after a morning of shopping with the girl
Last Kiss: about 3 hours ago
Last Movie Seen: Foyle's War
Last Phone Call: My Mom
Last CD Played: Michael Buble' Call Me Irresponsible

6 HAVE YOU EVERS
Have You Ever Dated One Of Your Best Guy/Girl Friends: No
Have You Ever Broken the Law: Yes, speeding
Have You Ever Been Arrested: nope
Have You Ever Skinny Dipped: no
Have You Ever Been on TV: yes
Have You Ever Kissed Someone You Didn’t Know: no

5 THINGS
Thing You’re Wearing: wedding rings
Thing You’ve Done Today: cleaned house, laundry, taken a nap
Thing You Can Hear Right Now: football game on tv
Thing You Can’t Live Without: husband
Thing You Do When You’re Bored: read or surf the net

4 PLACES YOU’VE BEEN TODAY
My bedroom
Bathrooms (I cleaned house today)
Kitchen
Laundry Room

3 PEOPLE YOU CAN TELL ANYTHING TO
My husband
My mom
Once upon a time, my dog.

2 CHOICES
Black or White: black
Hot or Cold: cold

1 THING YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
To travel to Italy

I stole this one from tenseteacher. Enjoy!

Sadie

It's with a heavy heart that I post this. My parents beloved border collie, Sadie, passed away last night after a short illness. We will miss her terribly.

Must be doing something right...

I received a complement (sort of) today. One of my co-workers walked up to me as I was leaving my desk to go to lunch and said "I want to know how you've lost all your weight?" Ummm...dunno?! that's what I was thinking, but what I said was "I'm counting carbs and exercising." Upon which her response was "that's a lot of work" and a disgusted look. I guess I've finally figured out that winning the battle of the bulge is going to take some serious work/commitment and a change of lifestyle. That and watching my hubby getting fit by doing the same thing (he didn't have any weight to give up, mind you). He looks really good!!

I am much more active now than I ever was in my 20's and early 30's. I'm feeling the need to get into shape for my health and the fact that once I hit 40 it's even more difficult to get rid of the extra pounds. While I'm not aiming to get back to what I weighed at 23, I would like to be more fit and possibly come off the bp and cholesterol meds. As I said a couple of weeks ago, I'm on the countdown to 40 and I want to make a big difference in my health and appearance. It makes me feel really good that just the few changes I've made so far are actually working. Yippee!!!

Meme randomness

Just some random information about me. I "stole" this from TenseTeacher, 'cuz you know, she's the queen of the memes. Enjoy!

What is your Zodiac Sign?
Aquarius

What makes you feel like a kid again?
Jumping on the trampoline - but after having two kids, the bladder doesn't like all the up and down

What is your weakness?
shoes and purses - one can never have too many

What candle scent is your favorite?
Autumn Wreath and Sweet Pea by Yankee Candle

What is your nationality?
American

What kind of music do you dislike most?
Rap - it's annoying

What sport do you dislike most?
ennis & basketball

What is your favorite drink?
Let's see...Diet Coke, Pellegrino, coffee and peppermint tea (hot, of course)

Are you a good kisser?
I'd like to think so, but you'd have to ask Hubby.

Can you cook?
Darn right I can! I love to cook - would much rather do that than eat out.

Do you go out with your friends often?
Nope - I'm a homebody and proud of it.

What was your favorite toy as a kid?
Spirograph and Barbie's Dream House.

What’s your favorite movie?
Dr. Zhivago b/c Hubby proposed during it and Chocolate 'cuz Johnny Depp is really sexy.

Last time you were in trouble?
Oh, probably sometime last week. I'm always doing something wrong at work.

Whats your favorite sports team?
College: Arizona State SunDevils and Tennessee Volunteers
Professional: Indianapolis Colts 'cuz I enjoy watching Peyton Manning play.

What kind of phone do you have?
A pink Motorola Rzr - luv it

Have you ever been to a strip club?
no

What’s in your CD player?
House: You know I'm not really sure - Ryan Adams, I think.
Van: Nothing

Are your toenails painted?
No, I took it off a couple of weeks ago. I will repaint when I can wear open-toe shoes again.

What was your first alcoholic beverage?
Bartles & James wine cooler - yeah, I know it's not a real alcoholic beverage.

Do you have a crush on anyone?
George Clooney, Rob Thomas, Johnny Depp, just to name a few

Have you ever been on an airplane?
I've flown just about all my life (parent's worked for the airlines), but I don't enjoy it anymore.

What’s in your shower?
Ours: Tresemme shampoo
Mine: Dial Lavendar shower gel, pouf, MK 3n1 facial bar, B&BW Peony shower gel, razor, pumice stone
Hubby's: Irish Spring soap, washcloth, Head 'n Shoulders shampoo

Do you have an iPod?
No, but I have an mp3 player that I love.

Mac or PC?
PC

Are you getting along with your parents?
Yes!

Do you wear jewelery?
Yes - I always wear my engagement ring, wedding band, 10th anniversary ring, my diamond necklace and earrings (both of which Hubby gave to me for Christmas).

First thing you think when you wake up?
Must relieve the bladder and then shower.

Have you ever gone scuba diving?
No...I'm not interested in doing that.

What’s on your feet right now?
Nothing, I kicked my fuzzy socks off sometime during the night.

What’s your dream car?
I don't really have one - Hubby has a new, red Mustang GT Convertible which is really nice.

When is the last time you kissed someone?
Last night before I went to sleep

What’s your favorite smell?
cookies baking, fresh coffee, stargazer lilies, pumpkin pie/bread

Are you modest?
Not as much as I used to be, having kids erases most of that.

What cell phone carrier do you use?
Verizon

Have you gone to a prom?
Once and didn't enjoy it.

How do you take your coffee?
Home: with Coffeemate FF Hazelnut creamer
Out: Starbucks NF Latte with SF Hazelnut flavoring

Do you care what others think about you?
Not as much as when I was a teenager. However, if someone has an issue with me I'd like them to come to me and not talk about me behind my back.

What do you do when you’re driving?
Hmmm...drive! If I have the kids with me, which is most of the time, we talk and sing along to whatever is playing. If it's just me, I relish the peace and quiet. With Hubby, we talk or just enjoy each others company.

What’s the last thing you ate?
Maple/Brown Sugar Shredded Wheat bites.

Wal-Mart or Target?
Seriously?! Target, of course.

What do you think of your last ex?
Don't remember - I've been with Hubby for 20+ years, he's what's important to me.

Do you kiss and tell?
Nope, what's said at home stays at home.

Are you a good speller?
Yes, but sometimes I need to double check with a dictionary.

What’s on your mousepad?
"Leadership Excellence Principles"

What taste is in your mouth?
mmm...coffee

What is your favorite snack?
Popcorn and cheese

Is your hair curly or straight?
It has some wave to it, but I try to dry it straight.

It's finally here...

Fall, that is! While most would think that a week of cool, cloudy and damp/rainy weather is awful, but I love it. We've finally gotten some rain, although not nearly enough to ease the drought. The ducks on the lake are enjoying the weather, too. I heard them this morning quacking away. I could go on and on.

Happy Fall!

photo courtesy of http://www.naugy.net/ADED/fall01/road-mist-67.3.jpg

What Kind of Pet Would I Be...

You Would Be a Pet Dog

You're friendly, loyal, and an all around good sport. People love to be near you. You are very open with your feelings, and you're quite vocal in expressing them. You are sincere and kind. You love many people - without any sort of agenda. Why you would make a great pet: You're content to chill out with your friends Why you would make a bad pet: You always find yourself getting into trouble What you would love about being a dog: Running around and playing What you would hate about being a dog: Being left home alone while everyone else is out having fun

What Kind of Pet Would You Be?

I'm okay with this. I love dogs, so being one wouldn't be too bad. :)

45 miscellaneous things you may not know about me

I stole this meme from Saintseester, who stole it from Tense Teacher (the queen of the memes). I needed something low-impact to do this afternoon after doing the Liz Hurley Ribbon Run this morning. Found out how out of shape I really am - even though I do the elliptical most days of the week for 45 minutes.

What’s your name spelled backwards?
mom or evit8nza

What did you do last night?
Made focaccia and watched Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. Funny, but very strange.

The last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
emoticons for my IM.

Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery?
Yes! It tasted metallic - duh!

Last time you swam in a pool?
Labor Day - it was HOT and the pool felt sooooo good.

What are you wearing?
T-shirt from Liz Hurly run, lavendar sweatpants and my favorite tennies.

How many cars have you owned?
Hmmm...let me think. 4 - '78 Camaro, '88 red Mustang Convertible (hubby bought it for me as a wedding gift in '89 b/c he hated my Camaro), '91 Explorer and '00 Windstar. I'm ready for something new (or newer used) - tired of the mom-mobile.

Type of music you dislike most?
Most country, all rap and christian pop. Like seester said, it's annoying.

Are you registered to vote?
Yes.

Do you have cable?
Does satellite count?

What kind of computer do you use?
At home, a Gateway. At work, haven't got a clue - I work for the school system, so I guess it's whatever they could get a good deal on.

Ever made a prank phone call?
Yes and as a teenager, I tp'd lots of houses. ;)

You like anyone right now?
You mean, besides my husband?! Lots of people, except those annoying parents who think the school rules/regulations don't apply to them.

Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! I like keeping both my feet on the ground, thank you very much.

Furthest place you ever traveled?
This is funny - Tijuana, Mexico. My husband, however, has been to Torino, Italy; Bremen, Germany and Nagoya, Japan. Of course, they were all business trips and I was unable to go with him.

What’s your favorite comic strip?
For Better or For Worse and Calvin & Hobbes

Do you know all the words to the national anthem?
Yes, but the young lady singing this morning didn't!

Shower, morning or night?
In the morning and after going to the gym/working in the yard.

Best movie you’ve seen in the past month?
Not one.

Favorite pizza toppings?
Mozzarella cheese, prosciutto and green olives. No tomato sauce - gives me heartburn.

Chips or popcorn?
Popcorn, of course!

Which cell phone provider do you have?
Verizon

Have you ever smoked peanut shells?
Eeewwww...no.

Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?
Bwahahaha...no

Orange Juice or apple?
Orange Juice

Who were the last people you sat at lunch with?
My daughter today after the Ribbon Run.

Favorite chocolate bar?
I have to choose a favorite?! Okay...a Dove dark chocolate bar.

Who is your longest friend and how long?
It would have to be my two girlfriends from high school - 23 years. We don't get to see each other anymore b/c they live in MN and I live here in No. AL, but we keep in touch via email.

Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
In September, just before the plants went belly up from the drought.

Have you ever won a trophy?
No, but I won a Science Medal in High School. Funny, I can't remember why though.

Favorite arcade game?
PacMan

Ever ordered from an infomercial?
Nope

Sprite or 7-UP?
7-UP

Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?
No, but I think they are a good idea.

Last thing you bought at Walgreens?
Have never shopped in a Walgreens.

Ever thrown up in public?
Yes, on the flight home from North Carolina to Arizona in 1990. I think it was from the chicken salad I ate the evening before.

Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?
I’ve got true love, so I’ll take the money please! (This was saintseester's and tense’s answer. I agree completely.)

Do you believe in love at first sight?
Yes - happened for me and my husband.

Spongebob or Jimmy Neutron?
Neither

Did you have long hair as a young kid?
No - I don't have the patience for growing my hair much past my chin.

What message is on your voicemail machine?
"You’ve reached ###-###-####, please leave your name & number after the tone and we'll return your call ASAP. Thanks and have a great day!" We use it to screen all phone calls.

Where would you like to go right now?
Flop on the couch and watch SEC football.

What's the name of your pet?
Our cockapoo was named Hobbes. She passed away in 2000. *sniff* No pets since then.

What kind of backpack do you have, and what’s in it?
My favorite purse is turquiose & cocoa brown that my Mom gave me for Christmas last year.

What do you think about most?
Besides my family, it's what I need to do next. I'm always trying to stay one step ahead of the game.

Inspired

I was just reading one of my favorite blogs, Southern Circle of Hell. She has inspired me to work really hard to get back into shape for my BIG birthday in February. I have struggled with my weight ever since having my two beautiful children, who are now 12 and almost 15. I'm feeling the pressure of turning 40 and NOT wanting to be overweight anymore. I know that I can do it because I lost 40 pounds when we first moved to Alabama. I just needed something to really motivate me - not like having to take bp & cholesterol meds wasn't enough.

So, the countdown to 40 begins. I have 16 weeks to really make a difference. While I won't post my actual weight, I will post how much I have lost each week. Look for weekly updates beginning October 24th.

In Honor of Halloween...

here are a few "quizzes" to make you laugh. Well, they made me laugh.

Your Monster Profile

Death Fiend You Feast On: Starbucks Coffee You Lurk Around In: Target You Especially Like to Torment: My kids

What's" Your Monster Name?

Bwahahaha! That's hysterical - I feel that way before I've had my morning coffee.

You Are a Little Scary

You've got a nice edge to you. Use it.

How Scary Are You?

Darn...I thought I was pretty scary. Well, I can be - just ask my kids.

You Could Not Be a Vampire

Sorry, but you're not just cut out for flesh eating, turning into a bat, and living forever. But that's okay. The sight of blood turns your stomach... without even thinking of drinking it. And while you definitely would never be a vampire, you're exactly the type of frail prey Dracula wannabe's crave. Maybe it's time to arm yourself with a cross and some nasty garlic breath! What you would like best about being a vampire: The raw power (though you wouldn't admit it to anyone) What you would like least about being a vampire: The whole killing thing

Could You Be a Vampire?

Yippee!!!

It's the start of Fall break for us here in No. AL. What this means is it's the end of the first nine weeks of school and we need a break. Kinda like Christmas & Spring break. When the school systems originally worked this week-long break into the school-year, I was against it. The kids had just started back and well, it just seemed to me like a waste of time. However now that I'm working in the school system, I am all for the break. We don't have much planned for our week off, which is the way I like it. Maybe we'll take in a movie or two and do some shopping. Or we'll just loaf around the house.

To all who have a fall break, enjoy! To those who don't, we'll think of you while sitting on the beach wishing you were here.

Fall

You Are Fall Flowers

Beautiful yet often forgotten.

What Part of Fall Are You?

Not sure that I like this answer. I do, however, love all the fall flowers and watching the leaves change. I wonder what kind of fall we'll have this year since we haven't had much rain lately. Guess I'll just have to wait & see.

Sorry...

that I haven't blogged since last Tuesday. I've caught the crud that Hubby had last week. While I'm not totally under the weather, I just don't feel like doing ANYTHING! Thank goodness my kids are pretty self-sufficient, 'cuz I haven't been cooking. Enough whining!

On a lighter note...we had BEAUTIFUL weather this past weekend. I love fall! Not only because it's football season, but also 'cuz the weather is nice enough that we can open up the house at night. We sleep so much better with the windows open. Guess it's 'cuz of all that fresh air. Can't wait for the leaves to start changing. I hope that we get to have some fall color this year.

photo courtesy of: http://www.howardsview.com/

A picture of me...

Thanks to saintseester for the link. :) Hmmm...it's me to a T. I love to be at home with my family and I'm not much for crowds or large parties, but I work as a receptionist at a local school. Go figure. My most favorite place to be is working in my yard/garden. I have grand plans for our "new" house and spend lots of time planning what I want to do and plant. Scrabble is my all time favorite game - LOVE word games. They're supposed to be good for us as we grow older - keeps those brain cells working.

How I spent my Saturday

As earlier noted, I went to see Menopause the Musical with some friends from work. OMG - I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. While I'm not experiencing any menopausal symptoms just yet, I could definitely relate to a lot of what was talked about - memory loss (I call it the Mommy syndrome), the occasional hot flash and the desperate need to run to the ladies room. The thing I'm really not looking forward to is the night sweats. I really HATE to wake up all sweaty and gross. The audience was mostly women with a few BRAVE husbands/boyfriends sprinkled in. The actresses did a fantastic job - boy, they could sing! My friends and I were able to meet the actress that played Earth Mother after the show. She was really great and told us to spread the word.

I can't do the show justice by trying to review it - let's just say that if you are a woman 35-40+ and need a good laugh about the things we go through as we get older, you need to see this show. It's being performed here in town at the Merrimack Auditorium, which has been remodeled, through the end of September.

Menopause...

While I'm not quite there, I am going to see Menopause the Musical tomorrow afternoon. I hope that it is as good as I've heard it to be. I'll let y'all know later this weekend. :)

What I'm reading...

Continuing on with the book theme...

What I am currently reading - The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory. I really enjoy reading about Tudor England and all it's quirks. A great escape reading.

What I should be working on - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. This is our September book club selection. I'll start that next week, since book club doesn't meet until the 29th. I have plenty of time. :)

What I keep going back to - Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. I love this series and just don't want it to end. Guess that's why I haven't devoured this book - I want to savour it. Rumor has it that J.K. Rowling is going to do a mystery type book. That should be interesting.

These are just a few of the many books that are on my endtable, nightstand, book shelf, etc. that I want to read. Just don't have as much time anymore.

Love those books!

While surfing my favorite blogs, I found this at Cranky Epistles and decided to "borrow" it. :)

You're The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe!

by C.S. Lewis

You were just looking for some decent clothes when everything changed
quite dramatically. For the better or for the worse, it is still hard to tell. Now it
seems like winter will never end and you feel cursed. Soon there will be an epic
struggle between two forces in your life and you are very concerned about a betrayal
that could turn the balance. If this makes it sound like you're re-enacting Christian
theological events, that may or may not be coincidence. When in doubt, put your trust
in zoo animals.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

High School, followup

I was talking with a co-worker today and we were discussing the events that have occurred at the high school. My co-worker brought up a good point (although, it would've never occurred to me to do this) about the recent bomb threats, she said that the kids doing this are just looking to get out of class. Ummm...why not just skip school?! I'm not an advocate for skipping school. I personally think it's stupid, but given the choice between stupidity and jail time...I would choose stupidity. Nothing is worth spending time in jail for, in my opinion. I feel sorry for those students involved in these bomb threats. Apparently, there is no parental guidance at home.

Then again, a lot that is wrong with the schools and students in this country can be directly attributed to the lack of parental guidance at home. But that's a discussion for another post.

High School

Maybe I was just really naive, but I don't remember having school go into lockdown. Sure...we had our share of fights, drug busts, etc. But bomb threats?! I don't ever recall hearing about that.

Where am I going with this, you ask?! Since school started back on August 2nd, the high school where my daughter will attend next year (she is a freshman @ the 9th grade school across the street) has had 4 bomb threats. 4!!!! WTF is going on?! This makes me VERY uneasy about sending her there. Yesterday, there was another bomb threat and while the students were returning to the building a big fight broke out resulting in several students being maced and arrested. I heard through the grapevine today...we all know how reliable that is...that the bomb threats were being called in from an inside line at the 9th grade school. As far as I know, there are no payphones in the school. So my question is, where is this female (yes, female) student making these calls from and how is she able to utilize the phones without being questioned or noticed? Excuse me, but aren't bomb threats considered a felony?!

Something has got to be done! Whether it's more security or bringing in administration that will take NO shit from anyone...students and parents alike. From everything I've seen and heard, the administration isn't taking any action other than increasing the number of security officers on the premises. I could be wrong because I don't have all the information in front of me, but it sure seems like the administration NEEDS to be taking these events very seriously and they're NOT.

School (and it's administration) needs to provide a safe environment that perpetuates learning! Right now, it's not instilling any confidence in it's ability to do so.

Just for fun meme

A fun meme from tenseteacher. She is the queen of memes! Steal it if you want to or just leave me a comment with your answers. Enjoy!

1. When was the last time you washed your hair?
Yesterday at 5:50 a.m. Ugh! Do I really get up that early?!

2.What were you doing at 8 o’clock this morning?
Sleeping - was up multiple times during the night to watch the lightning show.

3. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
Reading and commenting on my favorite blogs.

4. Are you any good at math?
Yes, but I don't use it very much in my job.

5. Are you mad at anyone right now?
Irritated -yes, but not mad at them.

6. Do you know the words to your current favorite song?
Yes, but I sing off key!

7. Last thing received in mail?
Southern Living magazine.

8. How many different drinks have you had today?
Two - water, to take meds with and coffee with fat-free hazelnut creamer. Yum!

9. Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?
Only if it's important and I want them to call me back. Usually, I'll just try reach the person later. I'm not much for talking on the phone - usually just my parents, brother and hubby. I mostly "talk" via email, IM & blogs.

10. Any plans for tonight?
Haven't thought that far, yet. I rented some movies yesterday, so maybe do a homemade pizza and movie night.

11. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
Not only my name, but hubby's and the kids. We love the beach.

12. What’s the most painful dental procedure you’ve had?
Having my lower wisdom teeth taken out at 16 by my dentist w/o the luxury of being put under, just novacaine. I remember my chin touching my breast bone and the dentist asking my mom if she wanted to watch. She said "no." I looked like a chipmunk for two weeks. I had my upper wisdom teeth removed by an oral surgeon, much more pleasant.

13. What’s outside your front door?
Four flower pots - 2 with dwarf Alberta spruces underplanted w/ red verbena; 2 (well, actually 1 'cuz the flowers died in the other pot) w/pink flowers that I don't remember the name of. It's been so hot that all of my potted plants are dying, no matter how much I water them. Just hope that I can nurse the spruces along - I've had them for years.

14. Do you have plans on Friday?
Last night (Friday), I hosted book club at my house. We had chicken salad on croissants, fruit salad and cheesecake. Essentially, it's a GNO w/o having to deal with the crowded restaurants. :) Haven't thought ahead to next Friday (Labor Day weekend).

15. Do you like the ocean?
Love it!!! We go every year for a week to NC, but I think that we're going to start making little trips to the Gulf Coast since we've never been and we live 6 hours from it.

16. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?
Ummm...not that I can remember.

17. Have you ever been to a planetarium?
Yes, I went when I lived in Aurora, CO. It was great fun!

18. Something you are excited about?
My brother and his wife are coming for Thanksgiving. They haven't been to our 'new' house, yet.
19. Who around you has the most problems?
I think that we all are saddled with something, but no one stands out with having the most.

20. Are any of your great-grandparents still alive?
No
21. Describe your love life.
Fabulous! Sometimes life interrupts it, but we always make time for us.

22. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?
Do parents in the school lobby count? If so, everyday. If not, sometime last year.

23. Do you like anyone right now?
Hubby!

24. What was the weather like on your birthday?
Ya know...I don't remember it was 6 months ago. I could guess and say cold and dreary, as it usually is in February.

25. Do you sleep with the door open or closed at night?
Open - the bedroom gets too stuffy if the door is closed.

26. If you could change your name, what would it be?
I wouldn't - I like my name because I use it as is or I can shorten it. You know - Christine, Chris or Christy, but NEVER, NEVER, NEVER Chrissy (I despise that name).

27. Do you like your middle name?
Yes, I just wish I'd have thought to use it as my daughter's middle name.

28. Who are you thinking about right now?
Hubby - he's working the garage on his hobby car and hoping the welder sparks don't ignite anything. He did that a couple of weeks ago and unintentionally melted the lid to the big, green trash can because of a smoldering curtain (long story that I really don't understand).

29. Do you consider your best friends family?
Yes!

30. Favorite foods?
I like lots of things, but here are a some of my favorites: dark chocolate, of course; cucumbers, nectarines, fresh tomato-basil bruschetta, popcorn, my Mom's Mexican Meat Mix, cheesecake...and much more. As a side note - I don't care for fried foods or corn, mainly because they upset my stomach.

Have a relaxing weekend! I'm planning to. :)

Stormy Weather

WooHoo!!! The heat wave has broken. Well, I hope so anyway. Storms started popping up yesterday afternoon and continued on until the wee hours of this morning. How do I know this? I couldn't sleep! Normally, thunderstorms lull me into sound sleep, but not last night. I'm not prone to having insomnia, so I don't know what happened. Maybe it was the cup of coffee I had with dessert at Book Club, which by the way was great fun despite the book being a bust (I picked a dud).

Anyway, I was up for a little while watching all of the vivid lightning. What a light show!!! It was like daylight in the living room. Very cool! I'd have gone out on the patio to watch, but the rain was blowing onto the porch. Maybe it'll storm again this afternoon. :) Come on rain!!!

Field peas & Tomato sandwiches

That's what we're having for lunch. And, yes, my children love them. My dad would be so proud. Growing up, he always told my brother and me about some of the things he used to eat. Fried okra, fried green tomatoes, peas (black-eyed, field, etc.) and tomato sandwiches, just to name a few. Well, I never really appreciated those things until I moved to the South with my husband, who by the way was born and raised in the South. I was a whiz at making tacos, chimichangas and my mom's famous Mexican Meat Mix, but I was a newbie at Southern cooking. Always willing to try my hand at something new, I asked my MIL how to cook these Southern staples. I believe that I've mastered them and look forward to making such dishes, with the exception of the fried green tomatoes. Just haven't developed a taste for them after all these years.

Now, where's that okra...

P.S. Hubby loves my slow-cooked roast & spoonbread.

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	8.5
Mind:	7.5
Body:	7
Spirit:	8.4
Friends/Family:	6.9
Love:	9.1
Finance:	8.8
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

A Little Too Late...

Wouldn't you know it?! Just as school's getting back into the swing of things, the builder decides it's time to finish the community clubhouse and pool. Mind you, this is NOT our builder, but the one who took over the community when the original developer backed out. Grrr...

Anyway as I sit here blogging, I can hear the workers busily hammering away on the roof of what's to be the clubhouse. It's infuriating to think that it should've been finished before we went on vacation last month. Here's the timeline: the builder broke ground for the pool on May 1st, then it sat idle for 2 months and then when it just happens to be the hottest August on record, decides it's time to finish the project. WTF have they been doing all summer?!

I can see the clubhouse lot from my back patio and was soooo looking forward using it. Oh well, maybe next summer.

Another Teacher in Space

Tonight, Space Shuttle Endeavor had a successful launch with another teacher-astronaut, Barbara Morgan, on-board. Like most Americans my age, I remember the last time that a teacher went into space. For our generation, it's akin to the Kennedy assassination. Unfortunately, Christa McAuliffe and the crew of Challenger had their mission cut short - just 73 seconds after launch. To this day, I still hold my breath until the 73 second mark has been passed. It still brings tears to my eyes to think that 7 astronauts lost their lives for the exploration of Space. But they understood the risks when they signed up for the astronaut program.

For the past 17 years, I have been a part of the Space program - having worked at MSFC and through my husband who works on the ISS program. There is a thrill of watching each launch. My hubby and I had the opportunity to participate in a night launch of Space Shuttle Endeavor. It was carrying the 1st U.S. built piece of the International Space Station. Now, that was a once in a lifetime experience. To know that my husband has physically worked in/on each U.S.-built piece of the International Space Station is really special. I'm very proud of the work that my husband does. I know that many do not believe in what we're doing, but I firmly believe that we need to continue to explore the universe around us.

Let's pray that this is a successful mission and that they all come home safely.

Aren't you going to share?!

That's what the caption should be for this picture. I thought this picture was hysterical. But then again, I'm a dog lover. Having had a dog that would do this same thing, I couldn't resist. Our golden-lab mix, Sara, would try to get the ice out of your glass the moment she thought you weren't watching her. Enjoy!


courtesy of Stuff on My Mutt

Cleaning House

Let's face it not many people enjoy cleaning the house. I'm NOT one of them. I find it relaxing. My friends know that I set aside one day each week to clean house top to bottom. Before I went back to work that day was Tuesday. I don't know why I chose Tuesday - maybe because Monday was MY day (kids at school and hubby at work). Now, it gets relegated to the weekend. It used to take me all morning to clean the entire house, but now it takes just about all day. Mainly 'cuz I find other things to do (like checking email, reading blogs, etc.). That and I don't really enjoy dusting (I'd rather clean toilets), so I put it off until last. I find great satisfaction knowing that when I'm finished the house looks great...that is until the kids get home. :)

P.S. I love to mow the yard. I do it all mow, edge and clean up the clippings. It's great exercise and when I'm all done, the yard looks really nice.

I know...I'm weird! :)

It's HOT!!!

Good grief!!! It's hot!!! Every few summers, we here in North Alabama have Augusts where it's just unbearable to be outside for any length of time. It appears that this is going to be one of those Augusts.

Yes, I am from the desert. But I DO NOT like to sweat!!! It makes me feel yucky. I found out very quickly when I moved here that I really don't like to be outside when it's HOT and HUMID. We moved here in August of 1990 - the same year that Phoenix hit 122 degrees in June. I thought that I could handle any kind of heat. Ummm...I was wrong.

So, I'm relishing my air-conditioned house wishing I felt like going out to look at my flowers. But I DO NOT like to sweat. :) I know that the heat will only last a few more weeks and then it's on to my favorite season. FOOTBALL...ooops, I mean fall. :)

Take it easy out there and remember to drink LOTS of water! Soon we'll be complaining that it's TOO COLD. There's just no pleasing us. LOL!!!

1st Day Back

Today was the 1st day of school for the county schools where I live. This school year will be very different from last. The biggest difference is that the school where I work is half the size it was last year. We went from 1250 students (this is an elementary school) to approximately 600. What a difference!

At several points during the day, I found myself listening to the silence. It was really nice! I may just get spoiled this year. The phone wasn't ringing off the hook and very few parents came in today - that may have something to do with the fact that parents were rejoicing in their new found freedom. We did have an issue with between joint custodial parents this morning. Hopefully, it will be resolved tomorrow. Let's hope that it stays this calm.

Now that I have a year's experience under my belt, I'm planning to make some changes that I believe will make the front office run smoother. I hope to convince my principal that they will work. Keep your fingers crossed.

My kids had a GREAT first day of school, too. D is a freshman at the high school and was thrilled that she has Art (Drawing) this 1st semester. Since the high school is on the block schedule, she'll only have 4 classes this term - 2 core & 2 electives - and she got them in the order that she wanted them (English/Drawing/Algebra 1/Computer). S is a 7th grader and came home to announce that he has many classes with several friends. Last year, he didn't have any of his friends from 5th grade in any of his classes. So, he was ecstatic. I think that they'll both have a great year!

If you have children heading back to school this fall, I hope that they have a great year, too.

Summer's over?!?!

Okay...what happened to my summer vacation? I have to go back to work on Monday. :( My kids' first day of school is August 2nd.

Getting on soapbox.

My children and I have had many discussions regarding the length of summer vacation. We all agreed that we'd like to start around Labor Day and get out in early June (the pools are too cold in the middle of May). As it stands right now, our school year runs August 2, 2007 through May 20, 2008 this includes a week off in October & March, 4 individual days off scattered throughout the school year, 3 days off at Thanksgiving, and 18 days off at Christmas. Maybe my memory is failing me, but I seem to remember having only a couple of days off at Thanksgiving, 10 days at Christmas and Spring Break in March.

Several years ago, the powers that be in the school system decided it would be a great idea to have a one week break in early October. Umm...this is a stupid idea!!! The kids are wild the week before and after the break, therefore losing two weeks of valuable teaching time. Not to mention, those parents who have to make arrangements for childcare during that week (not everyone has family close by to help out). It's a nightmare. At one point, the county schools had 2 weeks off both in early October and late March. Thank goodness they quit doing that. I understand that everyone gets burned out from time to time. But for heaven's sake - they don't need to have a week off right after the start of the school year.

I would like to see the school calendars go back to the Labor Day start and early June ending. However, I think that the school systems are setting up to go to year-round school calendars. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Getting off soapbox now.

It's Pink!

I saw this at Tense Teacher's this afternoon and thought it would be fun to do. I think that it describes me to a "T".

What color is your soul painted? Pink Your soul is painted the color pink, which embodies the characteristics of love, friendship, compassion, femininity, relaxation, ability to overcome evil, honor, morality, general success, gratitude, appreciation, admiration, sympathy, health, and marriage. Pink falls under the element of Air, and is symbolic of gentle emotions and of emotional unions. Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

And it's my favorite color, too!!

Southern Women

I received this in an email from my Mom and I thought I'd share it with y'all. Not sure who originally wrote it, but I thought it was funny and somewhat true based on my experience here in No. AL. Mind you - I'm a transplant from AZ and I've been here for 17 years (longer than any other place that I've lived), so I feel I can call myself a "Southern Woman."

Without further ado:

Southern Women

Southern women appreciate their natural assets: Clean skin, a winning smile, and that unforgettable Southern drawl.

Southern women know their manners: "Yes, ma'am." "Yes, sir." "Why, no, Billy!"

Southern women have a distinct way with fond expressions: "Y'all come back!" "Well, bless your heart." "Drop by when you can." "How's your Momma?"

Southern women know their summer weather report:

Humidity Humidity, Humidity

Southern women know their vacation spots: The beach, the rivuh, the crick.

Southern women know the joys of June, July, and August: Colorful hi-heel sandals, strapless sun dresses, I\iced sweet tea with mint.

Southern women know everybody's first name: Honey, Darlin', Shugah

Southern women know the movies that speak to their hearts: Fried Green Tomatoes, Driving Miss Daisy, Steel Magnolias, Gone With The Wind.

Southern women know their religions: Baptist, Methodist, Football

Southern women know their country breakfasts: Red-eye gravy, Grits, Eggs, Country ham, Mouth-watering homemade biscuits with momma's homemade jelly.

Southern women know their cities dripping with Southern charm: Chawl'stn, S'vanah, Foat Wuth, N'awlins, Addlanna

Southern women know their elegant gentlemen: Men in uniform. Men in tuxedos, Rhett Butler

Southern girls know their prime real estate: The Mall, The Country Club, The Beauty Salon.

Southern girls know the 3 deadly sins: Having bad hair and nails, Having bad manners, Cooking bad food.

More Suthen-ism's: Only a Southerner knows the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption fit, and that you don't "HAVE" them, you "PITCH" them.

Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up "a mess."

Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of "yonder."

Only a Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is, as in: "Going to town, be back directly."

Even Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.

All Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is. They might not use the term, but they know the concept well.

Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad. If the neighbor's trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin!

Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference between "right near" and "a right far piece." They also know that "just down the road" can be 1 mile or 20!

Only a Southerner, both knows and understands, the difference between a Redneck, a good ol' boy, and po' white trash.

No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with the flashing turn Signal is actually going to make a turn.

A Southerner knows that "fixin" can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.

Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines, . and when we're "in line," .. we talk to everybody!

Put 100 Southerners in a room and half of them will discover they're related, even if only by marriage.

In the South, y'all is singular, all y'all is plural.

Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.

Every Southerner knows tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits, and coffee are perfectly wonderful; that red eye gravy is also a breakfast food; and that fried green tomatoes are not a breakfast food.

When you hear someone say, "Well, I caught a'myself lookin'," you know you are in the presence of a genuine Southerner!

Only true Southerners say "sweet tea" and "sweet milk." Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it -- we do not like our tea unsweetened. "Sweet milk" means you don't want buttermilk.

And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway. You just say, "Bless her heart" and go your own way.

To those of you who are still a little embarrassed by your Southerness: Take two tent revivals and a dose of sausage gravy and call me in the morning. Bless your heart!

And to those of you who are still having a hard time understanding all this Southern stuff, .... Bless your hearts, I hear they are fixin' to have classes on Southernness as a second language!

And for those that are not from the South but have lived here for a long time, all y'all need a sign to hang on y'alls front porch that reads "I Ain't from the South, but I got here as fast as I could."

Southern girls know men may come and go, but friends are fahevah!

Now...... Shugah, send this to someone who was raised in the South or wish they had been!

If you're a Northern transplant, Bless your little heart, fake it. We know you got here as fast as you could!

It's nice to be home!

The family and I arrived home from our annual week at the beach last night. While it's always fun to get away, it's REALLY nice to come home. We weren't even sure if we were going to go this year b/c of some issues with the family members we go with. However, we managed to suck it up and have a nice time. The cottage we rented was much nicer than the one we had been in for the past 11 summers - although the stairs were a bitch, there were 3 flights to climb just to get from the beach to our bedroom. I turned it on it's head though - I was able to get a work out every time I went in/out of the cottage. :) The kids really enjoyed the cottage 'cuz it had a game room downstairs! The perfect place for them to unwind after a hard day of playing on the beach. The only bummer was that the water was way too rough all week for them to be out in it. We've never seen it that rough. Maybe next year the water will be calmer. Though, I didn't mind how rough the water was because I took my beach chair along with a good book and planted myself on the beach. I could easily become a beach bum. :)

BTW - what happened to the weather?! I was all prepared to get out of my nice air conditioned mom-mobile into sultry, steamy North Alabama. Mind you..I'm not complaining! Just pleasantly surprised. It was almost nice enough to shut off the a/c and open up the house. Have to love those summertime cold fronts.

A Keeper

That's my hubby!!! We've been together for 20 years, married for 18 and it just keeps getting better.

When I turned 30, Hubby decided that he would begin taking my birthday and our anniversary off to spend the day with me. I loved it - still do. My friends told me that I was very lucky - I know! Then several years ago Hubby began taking 2 weeks off for vacation. The first week we'd spend w/o the kids, 'cuz they were with grandparents. That was/is wonderful!!!! The second week we'd spend w/the in-laws at the beach. Basically, we don't have to do a thing for the kids - Grandma does. It makes for a very nice vacation for us.

Life just doesn't get any better than this. :)

Whatever will we do...

...without the kids this week. *snicker*

There is plenty for us to do, it's just a matter of whether or not we want to. Hubby and I actually went to the movies yesterday! It's been ages since we've gone to the movies as a date. It was great fun! We saw Oceans 13. It was not as good as Oceans 11, but George Clooney sure is easy on the eyes. :)

Have a wonderful week because I'm sure going to! :)

First Letter Meme

Thanks to Tense Teacher for this meme. I debated about whether I should use my real name or my blog name. Such a tough choice...but I went with the blog. Enjoy! Steal it from me if you like or just have fun reading my answers. :-)

Rules: Use the first letter of your name to come up with an answer for each of the following. They MUST be real places, names, things…NOTHING made up! If you can’t think of anything, skip it. Try to use different answers if the person before you had the same first initial, and don’t use your name for the boy/girl name questions.

Your Name: azn8tive

1. Famous Singer/Band: Asia

2. Four-letter word: Aura

3. Street: Alabama

4. Color: Auburn (*snicker* - I couldn't resist)

5. Gifts/Presents: Angora sweater

6. Vehicle: Astin Martin

7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Agates

8. Boy Name: Andrew

9. Girl Name: Anna

10. Movie Title: Animal House

11. Drink: Amaretto Sour

12. Occupation: Astronaut

13. Celebrity: Antonio Banderas

14. Magazine: Arizona Highways

15. U.S. City: Albuquerque

16. Pro Sports Team: Arizona Cardinals (duh!)

17. Reason for Being Late for Work: Allergies

18. Something You Throw Away: Apple core

19. Things You Shout: A**hole

20. Cartoon Character: Astro (The Jetson's dog)

This was harder to do than I thought.

Way too nice...

Mingle² - Online Dating

I knew it. I'm way too nice.

Girls' Night Out

OMG - we had SUCH a good time last night. Let me set the scene - 8 very good friends (should've been 10, but 2 couldn't make it - we missed them!), 1 upscale restaurant and 1 espresso martini (yes, we all had a sip). Some of us have known each other since we first moved to the Rocket City and some we've added along the way. While we've had some ups and downs, we always manage to get through them. I don't get to see them as often as I'd like because we're all busy being wives and moms, but watch out when we do get together. Last night was one of those nights.

We were celebrating the June birthdays in our group. Dinner was good - I actually ordered sushi (but not the tuna - not THAT brave yet) - it was smoked salmon & cream cheese - and a salad. It was yummy! Everyone else had either crab cakes or the fish special. The best part came when we ordered dessert. J ordered the chocolate souffle, M had the raspberry sorbet, R tried the tiramisu tower (yum), D sampled the fruit tart, C had a dessert coffee (Black Magic), I went for the raspberry truffle cake, JJ didn't want anything and B had an espresso martini. B's martini was the hit of the group. Of course, we all had a sample taste of everyone's 'dessert'. By far, B's Martini was the favorite. I believe it was decided that we must have this drink at all of our get togethers - I know that I'll be serving it at our annual Christmas party. Speaking of which, it was mentioned that we make it an all girls party. Hmmm...have to think on that one.

We're all looking forward to another girls' night out.

Nest Watch, Part Trois (Updated)

They're here! The ducklings, that is. Well...only 4 of the 12 so far. We're guessing that they hatched sometime early this morning because when Hubby & I checked the nest last night all 12 eggs were still intact. We suspect that there will be a new duckling everyday for the next 8 days, since that's the way that she laid the eggs. We'll just have to wait & see.

All the eggs have hatched and Mama has taken them down to the lake. We ended up with 3 yellow ducklings and 9 brown & yellow (from what I can tell - they're across the lake).

Interview

Today I had an interview at the 9th grade school. I think that it went really well, but one can never tell for sure. I always get very nervous - the kind of nervous that makes one sick to one's stomach. I don't know why - just do.

The principal is very personable. He made me feel right at home, which was nice. We talked about the position and its responsibilities. The position is very similar to my current job. He asked why I would want to make a lateral move. I told him that I want to be available to my children and this position affords me that flexibility, i.e. M-F 7:30-3p with summers off, etc. I couldn't really tell him that I was fed up with the politicking and cat-fighting in the office (not very professional). He seemed pleased with my answers.

On the upside of this, the principal did tell me that he had 40 people apply for the position and that he only interviewed 6. I told him that I was pleased to hear that I made the short list. Inside, my heart was jumping for joy - I MADE the short list!!! He said that I had two people highly recommend me. I don't know who they are, but I just want to say "Thank You!"

He said that he'll make his decision Friday. I hope to hear from him.

Too hot!

Okay ~ I'm not usually one to complain that it's too hot. I'm from Arizona where it gets to 115 in the summer time. However, when the temp is in the 90's and the dewpoint is 65 or higher - it's HOT. It's no fun to spend time making oneself look presentable only to walk outside and have it all flop or melt. Hmmm...maybe I should invent some humidity-proof makeup. Thank goodness Hubby doesn't mind the no makeup (I do have a natural tan - not a fake one) and baseball cap look, 'cuz it's a waste of time to get made up. Oh well, maybe the kids and I should go to the pool since that's the best way to stay cool during the 'dog days' of summer.

Today's the day...

for braces and a good book. The girl went this morning to have them put on, while the boy stayed home & read.

Doesn't she look beautiful?!










Here's my handsome guy reading.




They're growing up way too fast.


Sigh...

Nest Watch II

Still no babies. It's coming up on 4 weeks. Just bet that they all hatch at the same time. I wonder if Mama will bring the babies back to the nest each night or if they'll stay on the lake. I think it's pretty cool that Mama chose our flowerbed for her nesting site. :)

Stay tuned...

Finally!

It's RAINING!!! Yes, I'm very excited about this. We're almost 19 inches behind for the year and it shows.

Maybe, just maybe, this will be the beginning of the end of our drought.

One can only hope.

Blogging with Hubby

Hey!

Hubby and I have created a new blog (see link at right): Adventures in Cooking with a Rocket Scientist. We hope to provide a little laughter as well as some cooking tips. While we are NOT professionals, we do enjoy experimenting and branching out in our cooking.

If you know of some good sites for us to visit, please let us know and we'll post them at our sister site. :)

Duke

The prosecutor in the Duke lacrosse case has resigned his position as District Attorney. The disciplinary committee has agreed with the bar that his handling of the case was dishonest, fraudulent, deceitful and misrepresented. Now they must decide if Mr. Nifong should be disbarred for his actions.

Um...duh!

Yes, he should be disbarred. He made a royal mess of the case and put those players through hell. While I'm sure that those lacrosse players are no angels, no one deserves to be put through the ringer when the evidence points to their innocence. Don't get me started on the alleged victim.

If the committee decides to disbar Mr. Nifong, he will have plenty of time to think about what he's done. I'm betting that in the near future someone will approach him about writing a book on the whole thing.

Work

As most of you know, I work at a local elementary school as a receptionist. Actually, I'm the punching bag for all of the irate, difficult parents that come in and all I can do is smile. I must've been wearing my rose colored glasses too long 'cuz I don't remember people being such pains in the posterior. Good grief! But I digress...I wanted to tell y'all that I put in a letter of interest at the local high school.

Being the dutiful employee that I am (*snicker*), I went to my current boss, i.e. principal, to tell her that I had turned in a letter of interest. I thought that she was going to cry. Yes, I'm THAT good. ;) Jokingly (I think) she said that when the other principal calls, she's going to give me a horrible reference and tell him that I'm so terrible at what I do that she has to keep me. I'm not sure if I should be flattered or worried.

I have really enjoyed my job this past school year. However, I have a child moving up into the high school and I'd like to be around to keep an eye on her. No, I'm not an overbearing mom. I'm actually very hands off when it comes to dealing with my children's schools, unless there is a problem. I believe that they need to take responsibility for their actions and deal with the consequences. Anyway, D thinks it would be cool to have Mom working in the office. I guess she thinks that she can bum a ride to/from school, which is true since the bus comes by at 6:15 in the morning. Ugh!!!

Nest Watch

In our new home - I still call it that 'cuz we've only been in it 3 years - we are fortunate enough to back up the the neighborhood 'lake'. This has provided us with many evenings of entertainment watching the vast array of birds coming to visit and the fish/frogs jumping in the water, etc. In addition to the usual birds, we've seen blue herons, green herons, grebes, mallards, Canadian geese (unfortunately - they are nasty birds), catfish (we have several albino ones), bullfrogs, frogs and tree frogs. Also, we have raised several broods of bluebirds.

One of the bonuses (for us anyway) is having the mallards take up residence at the lake. Little did we know that they were actually scoping out my flowerbeds for their next nest. On a Saturday three weeks ago, D thought she heard the computer making funny noises and came out to investigate. Well, it wasn't that but Mama duck making all kinds of racket in the flowerbed outside the kitchen. We didn't think much of it until we went out on the patio that evening and startled her out of the bed. Lo and behold, she had laid 4 eggs that morning. For the next 8 days, she laid one egg daily. She is now sitting on the nest of 12 eggs and has been for 2 weeks.

We are now on 'egg' watch. I did some research on how long it takes from laying the eggs until they hatch. 23 - 28 days is the incubation time frame for Mallards. This weekend will make it 3 weeks, so we should be seeing little hatchlings soon. I hope that we can get a picture of them before Mama whisks them away to the lake.

On a side note, there is another mama mallard & 7 ducklings swimming happily on the lake.

Funny, we've only seen one male mallard. He's been a busy guy... :P

And so it begins...

D and I just got home from our first (of many) orthodontist appointments. Today's appointment was to put in spacers - those things they put between your teeth to make room for the bands. Funny...I don't recall ever having to do the 'spacer' thing. I do remember having to wear that awful thing - the headgear - to correct an overbite for a couple of years before getting braces. Thank goodness D doesn't have to wear one of those.

Being the 'good' parents that we are, dad and I told D that her mouth would likely be sore after today's appointment. She comes waltzing out less than 5 minutes after we get to the ortho's office saying "That didn't hurt a bit. I don't know what you and Dad were talking about." *snicker* She'll be up during the night wanting pain meds 'cuz her mouth hurts.

Hmmm...wonder how next Thursday's appointment will go. Better stock up on lots of soft, easy to eat foods - i.e. ice cream and yogurt.

Dinner with Friends

Last night was my book club night. It was soooo much fun! I had not seen my friends since March for one reason or another - anniversary, dance recitals, end of school year activities, and just generally feeling a little anti-social (I do that sometimes, though I'm not sure why). It was a wonderful evening - I really needed a night out with the girls. I've been a little stressed lately and needed to decompress. It was fun just to talk about our book (The Secret History by Donna Tartt) and then let the conversation digress as it will with 9 women in the room. Boy oh boy, could we write some stories. :) As a matter of fact, I mentioned creating a blog so that we could share our conversations with y'all. Still waiting on the consensus about it. Anyway, when my friend, B, dropped me off at home afterward, I had no idea it was 11:30pm (didn't wear a watch). Thank you to my friends - you made my week. Love you all!!!! :)

Me from A to Z

This meme comes courtesy of Tense Teacher, one of my favorites.

A - Available/Single? Very happily married for 18 years

B - Best Friend? My Hubby
C- Cake or Pie? I make a pretty mean dark chocolate cake!
D - Drink Of Choice? Diet Coke

E - Essential Item You Use Everyday? Lotion and of course, deodorant.
F - Favorite Color? Pink...and black.
G - Gummy Bears Or Worms? Gummy bears
H - Hometown? I was born in Arizona, but now call Northern Alabama home since we've been here for 17 years.
I - Indulgence? My once per week jaunt to Starbucks for a non-fat, sugar-free Cinnamon Dolce Latte - no whip, of course. And Italian chocolate from Perrano's in Torino, Italy.
J - January Or February? February 'cuz it's my birthday month and that spring is just about a month away.
K - Kids & Their Names? Two - daughter (14) and son (12)
L - Life Is Incomplete Without? Hubby, kids, a good book and an even better glass of Italian wine.
M - Marriage date? April 22, 1989

N- Number Of Siblings? One - brother
O - Oranges Or Apples? Gala apples
P - Phobias/Fears? I don't dig carnival rides - they make me sick.
Q - Favorite Quote? "Let us make one point, that we meet each other with a smile, when it is difficult to smile. Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family." Mother Teresa, in her Nobel lecture

R - Reason to Smile? There are many reasons to smile: my hubby, my children, a great book, seeing family that you haven't seen in a while.
S - Season? I have to choose just one?! I love fall the most, but spring comes in a close 2nd.
T - Tag 3 or 4 people? No tagging - as I'm new to all of this, but take it if you want to. :)
U - Unknown Fact About Me - Hmm...let me think about this one. I know - I fractured my right ankle running in P.E. 20 minutes into 1st period in 7th grade. That was fun - NOT!!!
V - Vegetable you don’t like? I loathe eggplant, mushy red tomatoes and fried green tomatoes. Yuck!
W - Worst Habit? I put things off until the last possible minute.
X - X-rays You’ve Had? Let's see I've had one done on my right ankle, dental x-rays, mammograms (are they x-rays?), chest (to rule out pneumonia). I think that's it.
Y - Your Favorite Food? Bruschetta made with fresh bread, fresh mozzarella cheese, garden-fresh roma tomatoes, basil, garlic and balsamic vinegar.
Z - Zodiac Sign? Aquarius

Have a GREAT weekend!

Errands with children

OMG - can we say 'STRESSFUL'? That describes running errands with my children - D is 14 & S is 12. Growing up I was taught if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Mind you, I have repeated this mantra to my children. However, it doesn't seem to sink in.

D has just about pushed me over the brink with her hatefulness towards her younger brother. I had a younger brother who used to drive me crazy, but I don't remember ever trying to HURT him (mainly 'cuz he was bigger than me). She does everything possible to belittle him (publicly & privately) and hurt his feelings. S, on the other hand, is no angel. He does things to get her goat on a regular basis, but nothing that deserves the viciousness that she dishes out. Dad & I have told D time and again that one day she'll regret being so hateful toward him. I just hope that she starts to see the light before it's too late.

Sigh...how many days til school starts.

Rest in Peace, Kelsey

As a parent, it is very distressing to me when stories like Kelsey's come to the forefront. I know that I cannot protect my children from everything - although I want to lock them away until they are 21.

This young lady was just finishing up shopping (something we all take for granted) when she was abducted. What is this world coming to when we can't even let our children go shopping without worrying about someone snatching them. My heart is broken for her parents and friends. May they find peace knowing that she's is home.

Parents...give your children a big hug & kiss and tell them that you love them before they go to bed tonight.

Rest in peace, Kelsey.

Birthday meme

I'm new to this thing called a meme, but this one sounds like fun.

Idea borrowed from Cranky Epistles.

1. Go to Wikipedia and put in your birthday, without the year, in the search bar.
2. List on your blog 3 events, 2 births, 1 death and 1 holiday that happens(ed) on your birthday.
3. Then tag 5 more friends to do it!

Here's what happened on February 5th:

Events:
(1) 1778 - South Carolina becomes the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation
(2) 1988 - Comic Relief holds the first "Red Nose Day", which raises £15 million in the United Kingdom for charity.
(3) 1971 - Project Apollo: Apollo 14 Mission - Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell aboard LM, Antares land on the Moon at Fra Mauro formation.

Births:
(1)1948 - Christopher Guest, American actor (Nigel from 'This is Spinal Tap' & hubby of Jamie Lee Curtis)
(2)1943 - Michael Mann, American film director (executive director of Miami Vice & Crime Story)

Death:
1995 - Doug McClure, American actor

Holiday:
Bummer!!! No holidays for me.

No one is tagged, but feel free to do it and post your results in the comments. I'm interested to see what y'all come up with.

No Rain, Again...

Darn! It didn't rain today. The weather dingbats predicted as much as a 50% chance of rain today. Hmpf! So much for that prediction. As much as I don't want the coastal areas to go through another hurricane/tropical storm, it is what we need to break our drought. Since 2005, our area is 48 inches below normal for rainfall. Besides, I'm already tired of watering the lawn and it isn't officially summer yet.

Polka Dots

Had a pedicure today and looky what she did...



Ahhh...summer time. A time for pretty sandals and pretty feet. :)

Gardening

Two more beds to prep and then I'm done for this year. Usually, all of my flower beds are done by the end of April. Not this year. :( The main reason for this is I went back to work and now all that I used to do during the day while everyone was away waits for me when I get home. Mind you - I am not complaining about going back to work 'cuz I wanted to do that. It's just been a little overwhelming to try to do everything else, too. Then, we were slapped with a major cold snap over Easter that zapped everything that was budding and leafing out. And to cap it all off, I came down with a nasty sinus infection. But I digress...

I spent all winter researching and planning my flower beds. I have a notebook full of ideas and I planned it all out on graph paper (yes, I'm a nerd). I decided that I would put in mostly flowering perennials and shrubs that provide some winter interest. I am preparing to put in the last two shrubs - Wine & Roses Weigelas - they are gorgeous. Now, I just need to decide what I'm going layer in front of them. Must go to the nursery tomorrow. My favorite past time flower/plant shopping!

My next project is to research the plants to put along the property lines to act as a natural fence. Yes, more plant shopping!

School's Out for Summer...

Yippee - I'm done for the summer. I'm soooo excited that I get to sleep in tomorrow - well, a little bit anyway. Since I went back to work in August 2006, my house has not been as thoroughly cleaned as I would like. My friends know that I (used to) set aside one day (usually Tuesdays) each week to clean the house top to bottom. Nothing else gets done that day. Well, that is until this year. Now, I'm lucky to get something done each day. Laundry takes all week and then it starts over. Thank goodness I can recruit my kids to help. For that I am very thankful - even if I have to ask them to do it. I've had to adjust my cleanliness standards as the kiddos haven't mastered Mom's requirements for what is clean! But, hey...it gets done. Right?! Now, where was I going with this...Oh, I remember. Tomorrow morning is set aside for cleaning the house Mom-style. Believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to it. Then, it's off to see Pirates of the Caribbean 3 with the kids and a couple of friends for the boy's b-day celebration.

Wii

Okay - the boy turned twelve yesterday. The only thing that he really wanted we have been unable to find for him. WTF is up with the Wii. We have been everywhere, looked everywhere and still no Wii. We knew that it was popular, but we had hoped that supply would've caught up with the demand by now.

In the meantime, we will still search out the Wii - though it may be Christmas before he gets his birthday present. :(

One more day...

Well, tomorrow is my last day of work for the school year. While I'm really looking forward to my summer break, I'm a little sad about the year ending. Why you may ask? Well, our elementary school will be splitting to create another elementary school. We will be losing half of our teachers to the latest addition to the county system. It's exciting to see such growth in our community, but it's growing much faster than we can keep up with. Our schools (at least in our part of the county) are overcrowded and our road infrastructure needs to be seriously revamped. It's only going to get worse before it gets better. Beginning Summer 2008, our community will begin experiencing a major growth spurt due to the BRAC. Our area will receive an influx of new residents mostly from the East Coast. While this is a great thing for the economy (we're getting lots of really cool shops), it puts a real stress on our infrastructure. Let's just hope that we can meet the standards that the community has set for us in the eyes of the new residents. But I digress...the reason I'm sad is that I'm slow to adjust to change. Don't get me wrong - I'm really excited that my co-workers are getting the opportunity to be in a new school and set their rooms up just the way that they want them. I just hate to see them leave. On the other hand, next school year my job will be much easier 'cuz most of the annoying parents are going to the new school. Yessssss!

Sigh.....

It's official - the hubby and I are officially parents of a HIGH SCHOOL student. D's 8th grade graduation ceremony was this morning. As much as she likes to disagree, D had a blast this morning. It was so fun to watch her walk through (great practice for the one that really counts). She was perfectly giddy at the reception afterward - though it was REALLY crowded (H & I dislike crowds immensely), so we didn't stay long.



D is the one in the middle.

Went home to change clothes then it was off to lunch at Rosie's and to see Spiderman 3, which was very intense, but we enjoyed it.

Now, it's off to bake a birthday cake for the boy. He'll be 12 tomorrow.

Slacking

I confess...I've been a slacker regarding blogging. No excuses...just way tooooo much going on to blog. That is until today. :)

End of Year Craziness

I'm not sure why this happens, but it does... Every school year around May 1st, students begin to lose it! I'm talking about slacking off on assignments, misbehaving, and in general, being brats!!! As an example, yesterday our principal saw 5 students before 8:30am! Granted I know that actual teaching wanes toward the end of the year, but not enough to warrant students going berserk. Next week is going to be even worse - I have resigned myself to that fact - as the school will be having grade level field days, class parties and 5th Grade Graduation ceremony. The only saving grace for me is the day before school lets out my daughter will be graduating from the 8th grade so I will be spending the entire day with her and NOT at work!! Bwa ha ha!!!

Did I mention that there are only 7 days left 'til school is out for summer?!

Daughters and Shopping....

Now I know how my mom must've of felt when we'd go dress shopping! Although, I used to enjoy shopping, a lot! But the daughter does not. Anyway, the daughter and I went dress shopping for 8th grade graduation this afternoon. What an experience that was!

First of all, there is the "dress code" for the school we must adhere to - dress straps must be 3 fingers wide, the dress must be white, etc. It was nearly impossible to find a white dress that DIDN'T have spaghetti straps or that was not too dressy (or too old - as D put it - 'I don't want to look like a mom'). Why they made the rule that the dresses had to be white is beyond me - the school is not a private school, where I can understand having such a rule.

Second, finding a dress that both of us could agree on. We went everywhere! There were lots of pretty dresses, but none of them white (or a close facsimile there of). We found one at NY & Co. It's an A-line, very sensible and we could embellish it if she wanted to. She didn't dig it - but being the stressed-out mom that I am, put the dress on hold - just in case...'cuz y'all know if I don't do that, her size is going to be gone when we go back to get it. Went to a couple more shops - nothing jumped out at us - well, me anyway. She found lots of prom-style dresses, but they're just not appropriate for 8th grade graduation. D did say that we'll have lots of fun shopping for prom dresses when the time comes. Yeah, right!?! We did go back and purchase said dress at NY&C. Just in case.

As a last resort, we went by JCP. Wouldn't you know it...there was her dress. It's off-white with black embellishments on the straps (which are 3 fingers wide), at the waist and around the hem. And...she LOVES it. The best part of it is...she already has black strappy sandals to wear with it!!!!! Shoe shopping with D is even worse, but that's for another time. Now, that we've got that done we can sit back and relax. That is until she starts high school in the fall...

All in all, it was a successful outing. And we rewarded ourselves with a trip to our favorite coffee shop for a cinnamon dolce frappuccino (light, of course). Yum!!!