Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Ten on Tuesdayish

1. Whenever I see another Acadia on the road I give them a slight nod & grin.  And then I think, 'Yep, there goes another person equally as cool as me.'  I wonder what I'd be thinking if I was rockin' a minivan?

2. Key Lime Pie.  I offered to bring a pie to church for a gathering after tonight's service.  I'm certain no one else will show up with this tropical treat.  Although I won't really know for sure since I'll be home with my sick children.  Sigh.

3. It's now Abby's turn to be lounging in her PJs.  I'm thankful for Thanksgiving break so my babes can be home, rest, and get back to the business of being healthy!

4. I'm convinced Ohio is killing me.  Okay, maybe not literally killing me.  But I'm not myself here.... my face is swollen, my body is sore and lethargic.  I've spent a lot of time adjusting my sleep, my workout, my habits & my diet.  But the bottom line is I never feel worse than when I'm here.  Maybe it's time for a permanent something different?!

5. Fact: I love basil. If I was a food we would be married.  If we weren't then I would have a hard time not cheating on my other half.  I can't get enough of the leafy treat.  Confession: Sometimes I put grilled pizza on our menu just so I have an excuse to pair it with fresh mozzarella and gobble it up.

6. This month's Book Club featured a visit by our current author, Vanessa Gray Bartal.  I left that night so inspired and uplifted by this seemingly common mom who quite honestly is a lot like me.  If everyone who hits a personal wall in life could be as inspired and productive as Vanessa, our world would be a much better place.

7. Lauren brought home her Christmas tree yesterday.  Each year at the girls' school first graders bring home a giant green paper Christmas tree to decorate and bring back to school to festive up the halls.  While I'm not thrilled with the collection of glitter all over the little table & the floor, her tree is decorated to her standard of perfection.  For that reason alone, I LoVe It!

8. My heart swelled with pride when I walked into Lauren's classroom yesterday afternoon.  The room was filled with the smell of Thanksgiving and children dressed in Indian head dress & Pilgrim hats.  I know the PC police will slander me for that statement, but the truth of it is, those children were learning about their American history.  Frankly, schools are so caught up with teaching about acceptance and other cultures that an appreciation for our own is often lost.

9. If I could, I would add another hour--maybe two--to every day.  And I would make myself do all of the projects and crafty things I seem to have lost time for.

10. It pains me to see our nightly routine of story time slipping away.... often it is for a lack of time, which is a horrible excuse.  Priority number one: Bring back story time with full force!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Thank You Thursday

1. I am thankful for Halloween candy.  Those bite-size little bittys are just the right amount of chocolaty goodness.  Today's nod goes to Baby Ruth.  Yumm!

2. I'm thankful for sick days.  Sad as it is, yes, I am thankful for the rare days we take a break from life to stay home and recoup.  Not that I did any recouping on this day that Lauren was off school, but my house is polished top to bottom.  Love that conquest!

3. I'm thankful for Geoff.  You're my best friend, father to my children, and provider for our family.  Your hard work is paying off in big ways and it doesn't go unappreciated.  Thank you!

4. I'm thankful for wine.  Because after I get Abby off the bus and take my shower for the day (I know, ishy!) I'll be sitting down addressing my Christmas cards & sipping on a glass of my favorite Iowa wine.  With any luck, I'll also be thankful for the ease in my cramped shoulder.

5. Last but not least, I'm thankful for unexpected inspiration.  I look forward to the great things that are around the corner for our family and hope that those inspirations can rear their little heads when they're needed most.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Ten on Tuesday

1. In my book Candy Corn is not irrelevant until after Thanksgiving.

2. Tic Tacs.... I always eat them in pairs.

3. If the 80s had a flavor, it would be orange Tic Tacs.

4. Never underestimate the power of well manicured eyebrows!

5. Gray Hairs: Why do they always crop up on the part in your hair?  Maybe it's just me.  Either way, I go after them with a good pair of tweezers every time.

6. I'm pretty sure my BFF & I coined the best period code word when we were in school.  Shopping.  Boys automatically tune out when you start talking about that!

7. Tickle Attacks.... Lauren LOVES them! Here is her list of the reasons why:
  • I love it when you tickle me.
  • I love it that we can be together.
  • When we kiss each other.
  • I love my giggle.
  • I love it when you smooch on me.
Yeap, that pretty much covers it.

8. Back to periods & my BFF.  I can still see her walking around the junior high when she was graced with her inaugural period.  She carried around a brown paper bag packed with provisions the entire day "just in case".  I was certain it was a dead giveaway, but she was adamant that people would believe it was her lunch.  BFF, I won't out your identity, you know who you are.  Thank you for the smile all these years later!

9. Why didn't anyone raise an eyebrow when TV show characters had such inappropriate names & nicknames in the 80s & 90s.... like Boner & Scrote.  Ahhhh, when being PC wasn't so PC.

10. For the life of me I cannot get Michael Jackson's PYT out of my head.  There could be worse songs, I know.  Don't suggest any; I'm perfectly happy with that MJ track. For now.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Election Blue

Disappointed.  Disgusted.  Distraught.  Defeated.  As we watched the polls close and the election results come in my mood turned blue with the map.  To say I woke up this morning in a funk would be an understatement.  It isn't because my team didn't win, it's because my faith in the convictions of my fellow Americans came into question last night.

So this morning as I dressed for work I put on my Christmas socks, wore a smile on my face, and I dove into the kids at school today head first.  They don't have a clue what happened on the TV last night.  All that really matters to them is that their basic needs are met and that laughter makes them feel good.  So we ate, pottied & played.  And we laughed.  A lot.  And we sang & danced, and for a precious few consecutive minutes this morning my focus was on the Now.

My Now is all I can really control.  I can raise my children how my husband and I see fit, and if we're going to build a better America, we're going to start in our home.

I believe in Honesty.
Showing Respect.
Hard Work.
Not Expecting Handouts.
Love.
Giving From Your Heart.
Being Educated.
Being Well-Rounded.
Healing.
Forgiveness.
Loyalty.
Compassion.
Integrity.
Drive.
Ambition.
Two-Parent Families.
Commitment.
Morality.
God.
Karma.
Determination.

I believe in fostering all of these things in our children and making our world a better place.

And I will take a deep breath, do a lot of praying, and live in the now.  Starting right.... Now!

{Followers}

{About Me}

My photo
Fairborn, Ohio, United States
I'm a teacher by trade, writer at heart & mom in every sense of my being. I never considered writing as a profession, but after I got married and began moving around the country, I began sharing my adventures, misadventures & updates through a sort of e-mail newsletter. I found a true passion in unconventional story-telling that has followed me into motherhood.