Sorry no posting, busy... again.
The last couple of nights have been spent hanging out with our house guest in from MN. Thursday he took us out for Mexican as a thank you for letting him bunk with us (totally unnecessary, but delicious). Jon order some super-spicy food and was literally dripping with sweat throughout the meal. His hair was actually soaking wet by the time we left. I've never seen anything quite like it. Thankfully I was sitting next to him not across from him! We all agreed (in the event he ever finds himself single again) he should never order spicy food on a first date. :)
Last night, we enjoyed a Rock Band concert at the Froyds with some swawesome singing from Jess on a couple of tunes. Even Jon belted out a falsetto version of Roxanne that wasn't entirely painful to listen to. Little Rio attended and played with Annie, Scooter and Jazzy all night - which meant she actually let us sleep in until 8:00 today. Thank god! I've been exhausted all week for some reason.
Now I'm sitting here sipping my orange juice and trying to find the motivation to clean the house and get ready for our annual Memorial weekend pool party this afternoon. I'm just not feeling it - considering it looks like there is a 60+ chance of rain this afternoon. A part of me would like to postpone to Monday (the forecast looks nice and sunny then), but what are going to do besides pray that the rain breaks a little so we can have some outdoor fun, I guess.
Well, enough procrastinating. Rock on!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Surprise!
My team threw me a surprise baby shower today at work - it was a blast! (I had an inkling that they had something up their sleeve since they kept asking me about my parent conference schedule, but I wasn't sure, and I didn't know when.) They were very sneaky about it and called everyone to the media center for a staff meeting - which turned out to be for me! :)
They had balloons, an adorable cake, and the best part: I got loads of great gifts. Each grade plus the Specials team and the Office Staff chipped in to get me something. I made out with over $200 in gift cards, a super soft pink blanket, a plush blue dog, a goodnight book, a "Shhh! Baby Sleeping" door hanger (in the exact lime green and sky blue of the nursery) and a bunch of great clothes!
All the clothes were cute. I got 7 or 8 outfits ranging from onesies and sleepers to little dresses, but there were 2 from Baby Guess that were just to die for. They are both newborn sizes so I'm sure MBP will only wear them once for a picture, but I love them despite their impracticability. They're both sweat pant material. One is blue pants with a flared leg and flowered ruffle at the bottom. The flowered pattern matches the shirt and the little hat. The other is pink and it says Baby Guess across the butt with a little pink gingham ruffle accent. The jacket is a short sleeved hoodie again with the pink gingham accent and a little flowered shirt underneath. Oh my god! A-dor-able!!
My team bought me the activity gym from Target that was on my gift registry - it is so cute. It's in browns, blues, greens, and oranges and has a jungle theme. I wanted to set it up tonight! :)
I literally just finished writing all the thank yous, but it was worth it. Showers rock - better than birthdays and Christmas combined! Thank you everyone!! :)
They had balloons, an adorable cake, and the best part: I got loads of great gifts. Each grade plus the Specials team and the Office Staff chipped in to get me something. I made out with over $200 in gift cards, a super soft pink blanket, a plush blue dog, a goodnight book, a "Shhh! Baby Sleeping" door hanger (in the exact lime green and sky blue of the nursery) and a bunch of great clothes!
All the clothes were cute. I got 7 or 8 outfits ranging from onesies and sleepers to little dresses, but there were 2 from Baby Guess that were just to die for. They are both newborn sizes so I'm sure MBP will only wear them once for a picture, but I love them despite their impracticability. They're both sweat pant material. One is blue pants with a flared leg and flowered ruffle at the bottom. The flowered pattern matches the shirt and the little hat. The other is pink and it says Baby Guess across the butt with a little pink gingham ruffle accent. The jacket is a short sleeved hoodie again with the pink gingham accent and a little flowered shirt underneath. Oh my god! A-dor-able!!
My team bought me the activity gym from Target that was on my gift registry - it is so cute. It's in browns, blues, greens, and oranges and has a jungle theme. I wanted to set it up tonight! :)
I literally just finished writing all the thank yous, but it was worth it. Showers rock - better than birthdays and Christmas combined! Thank you everyone!! :)
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Kickin' Back
With the hubby away, it's girls' night... so I'm kicking back on the couch watching the Finale of Dancing with the Stars and the baby is just kicking me. It's an interesting arrangement, but it works.
I'm pretty sure that she's kicking in Morse code to tell me that it is about time to make a Root Beer float. She's a demanding one. Let's hope all her requests are this easy to satisfy otherwise the next eighteen years or so are going to be rough!
I'm pretty sure that she's kicking in Morse code to tell me that it is about time to make a Root Beer float. She's a demanding one. Let's hope all her requests are this easy to satisfy otherwise the next eighteen years or so are going to be rough!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Mac and PC
I felt like I was in one of those Mac/PC commercials today. I had both laptops up on the counter and was moving back and forth between mine (PC) and the school's (Mac) transferring pictures and creating my kids iDVD gift. All the slideshows are finished, now all I have to do is add some mu-zac. (Burning them takes a while too...)
It's been a hectic week and I don't think things will slow down until school is officially over, so sorry that I haven't been posting much and I haven't read any blogs all week. It's weird not knowing what you're all up to. (For instance, didn't know Jess was in Denver!) I'm hoping to get a little catch up time tomorrow.
I've worked like a slave all weekend. I spent Friday night doing laundry, grading papers, and getting the majority of my report cards done. This morning, I cleaned the house and this afternoon was computerrific as mentioned above. Tomorrow I'm hoping to get all my remaining chores out of the way in the morning and then vegging with my book on the couch. I'm still not even halfway through "The Host" as I've had no time to pick it up.
Okay, lam-o post over. Shannon, out.
Disturbing realization: once you run spell check and make changes etc, if you post from there (without going back and hitting "resume editing" first), it doesn't actually save any of those changes. I didn't recognize this until recently so if you've noticed a ton of spelling errors lately... now you know the reason! Doh!
It's been a hectic week and I don't think things will slow down until school is officially over, so sorry that I haven't been posting much and I haven't read any blogs all week. It's weird not knowing what you're all up to. (For instance, didn't know Jess was in Denver!) I'm hoping to get a little catch up time tomorrow.
I've worked like a slave all weekend. I spent Friday night doing laundry, grading papers, and getting the majority of my report cards done. This morning, I cleaned the house and this afternoon was computerrific as mentioned above. Tomorrow I'm hoping to get all my remaining chores out of the way in the morning and then vegging with my book on the couch. I'm still not even halfway through "The Host" as I've had no time to pick it up.
Okay, lam-o post over. Shannon, out.
Disturbing realization: once you run spell check and make changes etc, if you post from there (without going back and hitting "resume editing" first), it doesn't actually save any of those changes. I didn't recognize this until recently so if you've noticed a ton of spelling errors lately... now you know the reason! Doh!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Just Breathe
Part 1: My kiddos are driving me up the wall. Actually, they are climbing the walls... and the housekeeping equipment... and being dragged kicking and screaming from the room.
13 more days - just breathe!
Part 2: Since the run of antibiotics didn't seem to work, the doctor has taken a new approach to my cough. After listening to my chest, she said I'm wheezing and I may be experiencing a pregnancy-induced flare up of my asthma. I'm back on an inhaler for the first time in... a decade?
She mentioned, in front of Jon, that there's also a concern the baby might not be getting enough oxygen. Now he's waking me up in the middle of the night to tell me that I'm wheezing and breathing heavy. Or scolding me for coughing without spitting out my cough drop. (Though his worry over how he would give his pregnant wife the Heimlich maneuver was cute and probably very true!)
Breathe in, breathe out, that's my plan.
13 more days - just breathe!
Part 2: Since the run of antibiotics didn't seem to work, the doctor has taken a new approach to my cough. After listening to my chest, she said I'm wheezing and I may be experiencing a pregnancy-induced flare up of my asthma. I'm back on an inhaler for the first time in... a decade?
She mentioned, in front of Jon, that there's also a concern the baby might not be getting enough oxygen. Now he's waking me up in the middle of the night to tell me that I'm wheezing and breathing heavy. Or scolding me for coughing without spitting out my cough drop. (Though his worry over how he would give his pregnant wife the Heimlich maneuver was cute and probably very true!)
Breathe in, breathe out, that's my plan.
Monday, May 12, 2008
The Written Word...
...is the only explanation I have for three unrelated stories I am trying to tie together!
1) Mother's Day Part 2
Jon took me out to share his McDonald's fries. This perked me up a lot! Then we lounged in the pool for a while (the first time this Spring). It was glorious! And Rio brought me her card. This is what she wrote:
Mommy,
Happy Mom Day. I love lots. I can't wait for the baby. There will be someone else to give kisses too. Also, I will get to play with baby toys.
Love, Rio
I want Scooby Snacks again.
Then Jon made me dinner and we sat back and watched "Juno." I thought it was even funnier than the first time, but Jon thought it was just "eh." He later admitted it was full of funny one liners and entertaining, but that it lacked storyline. Suddenly everyone's a critic! :)
2) Beware the Volunteer
This is a work story, so I will give you the abridged version. Lisa, Karen and I are planning to do dinner tomorrow night and then take in the elementary school's production of "Annie Jr." A fun evening, right? Well, admin cornered me today and asked if we could volunteer to help. All it would entail was showing up 30 mins early and getting people to their seats, so fine, we said yes. Two emails later and suddenly we're supposed to show up at 4:45, help out with everything, and possibly not even see the show. Ah, sorry, not what I agreed to! The pregnant lady is not giving up her girls night out to stand around and work. Best part is, I was actually gutsy enough to change my response to "NO!"
3) Choking at Target
My death-rattling cough tends to kick in when I'm laughing. So today, when I read my husband's contribution to my grocery list while shopping at Target, I nearly choked to death and peed my pants. In amidst the requests for toilet paper, bread, and bananas were:
hookers
crack
Needless to say, he was very disappointed when I came home empty handed. I did buy some mini-frozen pizzas - maybe that will help fill the void...
1) Mother's Day Part 2
Jon took me out to share his McDonald's fries. This perked me up a lot! Then we lounged in the pool for a while (the first time this Spring). It was glorious! And Rio brought me her card. This is what she wrote:
Mommy,
Happy Mom Day. I love lots. I can't wait for the baby. There will be someone else to give kisses too. Also, I will get to play with baby toys.
Love, Rio
I want Scooby Snacks again.
Then Jon made me dinner and we sat back and watched "Juno." I thought it was even funnier than the first time, but Jon thought it was just "eh." He later admitted it was full of funny one liners and entertaining, but that it lacked storyline. Suddenly everyone's a critic! :)
2) Beware the Volunteer
This is a work story, so I will give you the abridged version. Lisa, Karen and I are planning to do dinner tomorrow night and then take in the elementary school's production of "Annie Jr." A fun evening, right? Well, admin cornered me today and asked if we could volunteer to help. All it would entail was showing up 30 mins early and getting people to their seats, so fine, we said yes. Two emails later and suddenly we're supposed to show up at 4:45, help out with everything, and possibly not even see the show. Ah, sorry, not what I agreed to! The pregnant lady is not giving up her girls night out to stand around and work. Best part is, I was actually gutsy enough to change my response to "NO!"
3) Choking at Target
My death-rattling cough tends to kick in when I'm laughing. So today, when I read my husband's contribution to my grocery list while shopping at Target, I nearly choked to death and peed my pants. In amidst the requests for toilet paper, bread, and bananas were:
hookers
crack
Needless to say, he was very disappointed when I came home empty handed. I did buy some mini-frozen pizzas - maybe that will help fill the void...
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Weepy Mother's Day
My hormones must be on overdrive today...
First, I woke up feeling a little sorry for myself. Jon had left early in the morning to dive master an open water test dive so there was no one here to celebrate Mother's Day with me. (Though Rio did give me extra kisses when she woke me up this morning.) Determined to make the best of it, I decided to make myself some delicious mini muffins for breakfast. Unfortunately, I think the temp and/or time was wrong on the box because I burnt them into mini hockey pucks instead. (No, I couldn't smell them burning, I can't smell anything remember?)
Looking at their charred little remains actually made me cry. Knowing this was silly, I indulged myself only a moment and then whipped up some banana nut waffles and bacon instead. Yum-o! Sadly, the kitchen looked a little like it does after Thanksgiving supper so I forced myself to wash all the dishes... which then led to vacuuming and laundry. Not my first choice for a relaxing Mother's Day.
Then I realized I wasn't really alone. After all, I had Rio and the baby to keep me company. So I decided to read them a few of my favorite childhood stories. Here in lies the reason for my round of crying number two. Not sure if the stories themselves are that sad, though they are quite touching, or if it is just the memory of my mother and grandmother reading them to me over and over, but I started crying a few pages into each of them! I think I am composed enough to tell you about them now.
The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde (publication: late 1800s/early 1900s) A fairy tale about a Selfish Giant who won't allow the children to play in his beautiful garden. Building a wall around it to keep them out, he also banishes the seasons, the flowers, and the birds. They only return when a little boy sneaks into the garden to play. Realizing how selfish he has been, the Giant embraces the child and tears down the wall. Although many children play in the garden over the years, the special little boy (the one the giant loved best) never returns. Many years later when they giant is old and dying, he sees the little boy in his garden again. The little boy's hands and feet are wounded and the giant wants to take his great axe to whoever would hurt the boy so. The child tells him they are wounds of love and that he has only returned to thank the Giant for letting him play in his garden that day and to take the Giant home with him to his garden of Paradise.
Angel Child by Val Teal (publication: 1946)
An angel baby gets his wings wet playing in the clouds and falls to earth where he's discovered by two little children, Peter and Patty. They decide to give the angel baby to Peter's mother who wants a baby of her own. They love him and play with him all day, finally letting him swing on the swings. With each push, he goes higher and higher, and wings get drier and drier, until finally he flies away. The children are quite sad, but in the fall Pater's mother has a baby and it looks just like the angel child... though they don't see his wings when they check.
My favorite:
Geraldine Belinda by Marguerite Henry (publication: 1942)
Geraldine Belinda Marybel Scott has 25 pennies to spend. Trying to be sophisticated, she makes a list, puts on her best dress and muff, and heads to the novelty store. She buys ribbon, a red drum, a cook stove, a sink and a piece of candy. On the way home, she sees her friends playing but doesn't want to share her purchases with them. She runs past them with her nose in the air, never noticing that all her purchases are falling out along the way. At home, she realizes her treasures are lost and starts to cry (too embarrassed to go back and look for them in front of the friends she snubbed). But when the doorbell rings, it's her friends bringing her all the things she lost.
"They all did come in - and what fun they had! First, Geraldine divided the stick of candy into five little pieces. Then she shared all her toys, even the ones she liked best. What fun she had!
Geraldine Belinda Marybel Scott never forgot that day. And when she really grew up, and had children of her own, she often said to them:
Don't put on airs when you have pennies to spend - for you never can tell how the story will end."
Okay, I think I can get on with my day now. Happy Mother's Day to all!
P.S.
Another favorite of mine is "The Littlest Angel" by Charles Tazewell (1957), but I'll save the retelling of this story for the Christmas season.
First, I woke up feeling a little sorry for myself. Jon had left early in the morning to dive master an open water test dive so there was no one here to celebrate Mother's Day with me. (Though Rio did give me extra kisses when she woke me up this morning.) Determined to make the best of it, I decided to make myself some delicious mini muffins for breakfast. Unfortunately, I think the temp and/or time was wrong on the box because I burnt them into mini hockey pucks instead. (No, I couldn't smell them burning, I can't smell anything remember?)
Looking at their charred little remains actually made me cry. Knowing this was silly, I indulged myself only a moment and then whipped up some banana nut waffles and bacon instead. Yum-o! Sadly, the kitchen looked a little like it does after Thanksgiving supper so I forced myself to wash all the dishes... which then led to vacuuming and laundry. Not my first choice for a relaxing Mother's Day.
Then I realized I wasn't really alone. After all, I had Rio and the baby to keep me company. So I decided to read them a few of my favorite childhood stories. Here in lies the reason for my round of crying number two. Not sure if the stories themselves are that sad, though they are quite touching, or if it is just the memory of my mother and grandmother reading them to me over and over, but I started crying a few pages into each of them! I think I am composed enough to tell you about them now.
The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde (publication: late 1800s/early 1900s) A fairy tale about a Selfish Giant who won't allow the children to play in his beautiful garden. Building a wall around it to keep them out, he also banishes the seasons, the flowers, and the birds. They only return when a little boy sneaks into the garden to play. Realizing how selfish he has been, the Giant embraces the child and tears down the wall. Although many children play in the garden over the years, the special little boy (the one the giant loved best) never returns. Many years later when they giant is old and dying, he sees the little boy in his garden again. The little boy's hands and feet are wounded and the giant wants to take his great axe to whoever would hurt the boy so. The child tells him they are wounds of love and that he has only returned to thank the Giant for letting him play in his garden that day and to take the Giant home with him to his garden of Paradise.
Angel Child by Val Teal (publication: 1946)
An angel baby gets his wings wet playing in the clouds and falls to earth where he's discovered by two little children, Peter and Patty. They decide to give the angel baby to Peter's mother who wants a baby of her own. They love him and play with him all day, finally letting him swing on the swings. With each push, he goes higher and higher, and wings get drier and drier, until finally he flies away. The children are quite sad, but in the fall Pater's mother has a baby and it looks just like the angel child... though they don't see his wings when they check.
My favorite:
Geraldine Belinda by Marguerite Henry (publication: 1942)
Geraldine Belinda Marybel Scott has 25 pennies to spend. Trying to be sophisticated, she makes a list, puts on her best dress and muff, and heads to the novelty store. She buys ribbon, a red drum, a cook stove, a sink and a piece of candy. On the way home, she sees her friends playing but doesn't want to share her purchases with them. She runs past them with her nose in the air, never noticing that all her purchases are falling out along the way. At home, she realizes her treasures are lost and starts to cry (too embarrassed to go back and look for them in front of the friends she snubbed). But when the doorbell rings, it's her friends bringing her all the things she lost.
"They all did come in - and what fun they had! First, Geraldine divided the stick of candy into five little pieces. Then she shared all her toys, even the ones she liked best. What fun she had!
Geraldine Belinda Marybel Scott never forgot that day. And when she really grew up, and had children of her own, she often said to them:
Don't put on airs when you have pennies to spend - for you never can tell how the story will end."
Okay, I think I can get on with my day now. Happy Mother's Day to all!
P.S.
Another favorite of mine is "The Littlest Angel" by Charles Tazewell (1957), but I'll save the retelling of this story for the Christmas season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)