Thank You

Good Evening Wonderful Blog Friends,
I have had the busiest weeks of my life these past two weeks. It is always busy this time of year for teachers and mothers as we try to close out the school year. I always give a thank you gift to my children's teachers as well as the professionals that work in my classroom. I think of June as a time of year to give thanks to those who help us throughout the school year.

I am trying to update the look of my blog so it may be down for a bit. Please be patient and check back.

The baseball schedule does keep me hopping, but I am so fucking happy delighted to be off for the summer to get back to the blogging world. I do love teaching, but as I get on in years, I am learning that balance is the key to loving all aspects of your life. I miss reading the life lessons, daily updates, humorous stories, and heartfelt passages of my new blog friends.

Thank you for a new chapter in my life that helps me in so many ways. I want to take this June to thank my blog friends as well as my school friends. I am going to use the summer as a time of renewal in my blog as I do in my classroom. So, I will have a new look coming soon.

Today's Daisy: Thank You for just being.

Okay So It's Not Tomorrow...

I tried to get the baseball pics posted for the boy as fast as I could, but we don't know when games are until the last minute during these damn playoffs...


Yes, my life is run by a little league schedule.


I once was a twenty-something adult who rolled her eyes and shook her head at parents who let their children run them around like chauffeurs. I mean give me a break, who's in charge around here?


And like most everything else I used to condemn, I'm now doing it myself. I have learned the true meaning of "Let he who cast the first stone...".


We will find ourselves doing even more running during the summer league. So I must quit complaining and start stocking up on Gatorade.

THE BOY

THE TEAM

OUT FOR MILKSHAKES

The Recital and More

Well it's June and all good things must come to an end.

Okay, they are not ALL good things. My angel has been dancing for five years and she is a bit sick of it. She wanted to quit mid-year, but mommy dearest made her "stick out her commitment."


Baseball is ending too, or so you would think. More to follow with that tomorrow.


But I must say when we attend the dance recital each year in June and see those little girls in those adorable costumes on stage I just melt. My angel began in Pre-K and now she is in third grade. She will receive a five-year trophy for her hard work and dedication.


My school year is ending as well and I love those kids. I hate to see them go. I always worry about the year ahead. I guess I have a little anxiety. The boy is afflicted with an anxiety condition. I hate to think that it's passed down from my genes, but I must face that fact.


So, as stated before...all good things must come to an end. This is the life of a teacher and a mother. June is usually thought of as spring time; a time of renewal. I think of it as a time of endings. Autumn is my time of renewal...a bit backwards.


These pictures from the dance recital will help carry me through the summer season of transition.

My angel with my nieces who dance in another dance group.

The Lollipop Girls

My angel with her best friend.

These two girls came over to me at the recital and told me they were second grade students. They said they wanted to be in my class next year. There is hope yet for the future! They sure are cute. This will control the anxiety for now. I can begin to enjoy my summer.

Today's Daisy: Every ending is a new beginning...embrace change even when your scared.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Angel.

It was in March, but she was mad the pics never made the blog. We were at a skating rink.

Her friends look a little bored tired...time for something new.

Bring on the laser tag.

Yah, shooting the shit out of somebody playing nicely makes the party way cooler.

Today's Daisy: I'm scared of her.

A gift from an Angel

Where to begin with this one...my 9 year-old daughter, aka "my angel" can be so inspirational sometimes.

Both of my children have a true appreciation for what parents do and how hard they have to work these days to keep a household running. I often remind them about how expensive things are today. But really it's not about the money, it's about the time!

We always take time for our special things...

• walks together while talking about our day
• snuggling on the couch and finding a movie we both enjoy
• reading a book taking turns with each page
• playing a game of "go fish"
• playing catch in the yard with a big bouncy ball
• making cookies together letting my angel measure all the ingredients
• washing the car with the garden hose and a sponge

So, during one of these very "inexpensive" activities she tells me how much she missed me while away at a friend's sleepover. I tell her of the uneasy feeling of going to sleep without my angel tucked tightly in her bed.

We continue to watch "Little Women" when she asks how the mother was able to get Beth's fever down. I said I didn't know.

Then she softly responds, "mothers are magical".

I think that says it all.

Today's Daisy: Mothers are Magical

Wordless Wednesday

Cruel...I know.

But, I gained 5 lbs. last week when I was off recovering from foot surgery.

Someone has to pay.

Conversation...Over-rated or Non-existent?

So my kids are now ten and nine years old and my husband and I have not had a real conversation in well...ten years.


I have become used to this new pattern of communication...checklists, one-word answers, text-messages, and completely screwed somewhat broken conversations when the children are around.


Actually, I'm really starting to get quite pissed off annoyed.


If they would just shut the hell up be quiet for a minute and not ask 4 million questions right as we are starting to talk maybe we could get through a discussion. We could figure things out like, oh I don't know...finances, job schedules, meals, school events, and so on. Or god forbid we might want to talk about something that the kids should not hear, you know, adult conversation! But no, we have to stop every ten seconds to break up fights that go something like this, "she said that kindergarteners can't go swimming. That's not true, right?"
"No I didn't. He said there were frogs in the filter. I'm not swimming with frogs in the filter."


KILL ME NOW!


I seem to be making many mistakes lately pertaining to the aforementioned items. I forget what we said about dinner. I can't seem to remember if he paid that bill or if I'm supposed to. Do the kids need me to pick them up or do they have a ride? What the hell is going on around here?


We. Need. Space.


The funny thing is when I'm home alone the kids go and play outside or in their rooms, but when my husband is home or I'm having company the kids are under my feet. They can smell the conversation in the air and they must put a stop to it.


They are CONVERSATION BLOCKERS!


Does anybody else have this phenomenon going on in their lives?


Today's Daisy: Don't be a victim...create an environment where adults can talk privately.

Kids can be so cruel...to ME!

So this little boy in the class across the hall from me is going to the principal's office and along the way he is destroying artwork made by other students which is hung in the hall. Naturally I begin telling him to knock it off and to hurry along to the office.

He then says the most dreaded words a woman can ever hear. When I asked him what he said he of course would not fess up, but I insisted he repeat it. Then, I said, ARE YOU TALKING TO ME? And he was like, no I'm talking to him...pointing to a random second-grader passing by.

I knew what he said - he knew what he said. It was lingering in the air. We both just stood there. I just didn't know what to say or do after hearing, "Shut up, BIG BUTT" from a third-grader!

1. Should I yell at him? No. He wouldn't care.
2. Should I tell the principal? No. Too embarrassing.
3. Should I tell his teacher? No. She's a skinny bitch.

I just pointed my finger and gave him that "teacher/mommy stare" that made him know I meant business. Although, I think the reaction was the same as #1 above.

I went back to my classroom and tried to set up a few mirrors to see my butt and if it in fact looked large in my chosen pants that day. I didn't notice any visible difference. I really don't think my butt is all that big, but I could be living in denial. People do it every day.

Today's Daisy: Don't let the words of a third-grader who is on the way to the principal's office ruin your day!

Back-to-School

Well, I'm heading back to school tomorrow from my time off recovering from foot surgery. I have to say I'm a bit excited. I'm one of those chosen souls who actually loves her job. I spent the evening getting everything ready and organized...I'm a geek. So hard to admit.


I like to think of myself as a fashionista - that is such a joke. If you could see the downright UGLY, excuse me, FUGLY shoes I have to wear back after my surgery you would die laughing at the fashionista comment. I'm just a plain wannabe.


I would show a picture of the shoes, but I 'm way too embarrassed. So, here's a picture of my nice school filled with my wonderful 28 third-graders. I miss them and I think I'm gonna pick them up a treat tomorrow on my way in.

Today's Daisy: Always remember the Golden Rule...even when someone has ugly shoes!

I'm a winner!

Thank you so much for the award, Modernmom.

I feel honored to have so many followers and now an award in such a short time of blogging. I just hope I can keep up with the posts when I get back to work after recovering from my surgery. I have so enjoyed getting to know such wonderful people through the blog network. Now I have to do my part and post my new favorite blogs and tell them they are WINNERS!

The Rules:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 10 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Here is my list in no particular order:

Mommy Confessions

Chaotic Flower Pot

King Max Cried "Let the Wild Rumpus Begin!"

barefoot foodie

Please Pass the Salt

Blue Monkey Butt

Mommy Nightowl

Send Chocolate Now

Stacie's Madness

Critical Mass

Stamps, do they still make them?

I think Jimmy Fallon says it best in his Tweet today...

Postage stamps are now 44 cents. This is out of control. If there was just some other way to send written messages...

Reading for pleasure is the best part of my personal time each day.

Books

Magazines

Newspapers

Blogs

Tweets

Internet News

No stamps required.

Kids today have it all. Post Office...email...tweets...text messages...etc. This is their world.

My son, fondly referred to as "The Boy", already has a cell phone and somehow inherently knew how to text message without any tutorial. I'm not sure how kids today are born having computer navigation and typing skills. Oh well, that's another topic altogether.

He loves getting text messages from his friends and cousins. But, I must say, when a birthday or Christmas card comes in the mail addressed to him he is totally excited.

My daughter, or 'my little angel'...I know barf, has not been bitten by the technology bug quite as much as The Boy. She still enjoys drawing pictures for family and her third-grade friends. And she has many journals and notebooks where she makes designs and writes plays, songs, and worksheets for her bears to complete. She LOVES sending letters.

1. Crafting a letter or picture for someone


2. Putting it in an envelope


3. Sticking a stamp to the upper corner


4. Writing the proper address


5. Taking it to the Post Office or to the mailbox

OMG.

Just writing all of that made me realize how exhausting the procedure really is and why the Post Office may someday be a thing of the past. I can pay a bill on-line in the time it took for her to write the address on the envelope.

Then again, I don't know after reading the bloggess maybe people are getting a little annoyed with media technology and how the public is using it. I mean, reading my OWN postal mail is often calming. Junk mail on my porch doesn't make me say out loud, "What the hell's wrong with this person?"

Today's Daisy: Having it all gives us choices: Choose wisely.

Spring?

Okay...I live in upstate NY. I know what I'm getting.

Long winters.

Shoveling.

Snow pants, snow boots, gloves, hats, scarves.

Thick parkas.

Large NYSEG bills.

Snow Days - There is an upside! :)

Funny...kids don't seem to mind quite as much as adults.

I just want to be able to walk outside in the middle of May wearing long pants and a sweatshirt and not be freezing. I don't think that's asking too much. This is spring, right?

My son plays baseball two nights a week and my daughter plays softball two nights a week. I have to admit the guilty pleasure I'm getting in the fact that I can't attend the games due to my recent foot surgery. The parents just sit, watch, & freeze. There is no way to combat the evil, icy breeze that blows through you when the sun goes down.

I love to decorate my front porch when the seasons change and I'm the first in line at the local nursery scooping up the best hanging flower baskets and potted plants.

Now I have to watch the weather report to see if there is going to be a frost each night so I can bring ALL of the plants inside just to take them ALL back outside again in the morning.

Here they sit...INSIDE.

We get some very hot days in July/August...maybe about 10. People actually freak out. I mean they go out and insist on getting central air - Did you hear me, central air? All new homes are built with central air, okay, I get that...they are new homes, they should be built with all new heating/cooling systems. But, who in their right mind would spend the money on central air for 10 days? Invest in more heat! Upstate NY needs central air like American Idol needs another judge. Stop the maddness!

I don't like to complain so much in one post, but like my husband often tells me, the weather makes me nuts. The weather patterns in our particular area are very inconsistent and you basically have to wake up and see what you've got. It makes it quite difficult to make plans. I get miserable when plans don't work out due to rain, snow, ice, wind, cold, etc. "Can't control the weather"...my husband will always say. Doesn't make me feel any better.

Oh well, for now I will continue to bring in the plants, keep the winter & spring clothes in the closets, and bad-mouth Mother Nature...she doesn't have feelings you know.

Today's Daisy: Control what you can & vent about what you can't...only if it doesn't hurt any feelings.

Family Day

Well Mother's Day was all that I expected it to be...flowers, a wonderful breakfast made with love by my three favorite chefs, and much doting.

But, in the center of it all I felt empty and kind of shallow. I kept asking when more was going to be done. When are we going to do this? When do you think we can get to that? I should have stopped to appreciate the work that had already been done. Sometimes when we are given a lot we learn to only take.

So, on this Mother's Day...I gave back. I gave attention to those who needed it and said kind words to those who put forth so much effort into making today so special.

Today's Daisy: Mothers Learn Everyday

Play Footsie

As I sit here another day with my foot up in the air...

Everyone else seems to be on the go in my house. My husband went to work today. Kids went with my mother. My son had a baseball game tonight. Life seems to go on without me.

But not a good life.

The house is a mess, no groceries, kids need showers, laundry baskets getting full again...and the list goes on. We moms sure do a lot. People are starting to look around and notice the odd changes around here and wonder what's up. Well, mom's foot, that's what's up!

So I will put up the mess and enjoy the time I have to read blogs, watch Lifetime, and marvel at the fact that now it's Mother's Day...someone ELSE will be cleaning up the mess!

Today's Daisy: Put your feet up - polish required.

Well this is my first post and I'm sitting here with my foot up and an aching butt. I had foot surgery two days ago.
And so it begins.
I always have an agenda a mile long of things I'm going to accomplish while I'm recovering that I don't have a chance to do when I'm working.
So far...not much.
Although, this time around I can walk a bit so I did some light house work such as laundry. But, when I stand there is some pain involved, so I sit again as soon as possible.
Sitting, sitting, sitting. Can your rear area actually get wider in ten days? I think mine has expanded in only two days?

Okay...the idea of my blog was to ponder of the bright side of everything...be a "glass is half full" kind of thinker, so sitting here all day as my butt grows to enormous proportions I may work on a grant proposal for school.

The grant committee has become VERY particular these days and I would have never had the time it will take to complete the task with the precise writing it requires. There is also a great deal of research and development that has to be conducted before I can even begin to write.

So there, I will begin the grant by conducting some on-line research. You have to start somewhere. Tomorrow I will set another goal.

Today's Daisy: Start Small... Unlike Your Butt.