So much to do in so little time....

I always have high aspirations for breaks from school yet it seems that I never can get everything done. In addition to all the school stuff I need to do (remember I missed the day prior to break and have NO clue what was done or not done in my classes....grrr) there are many "Mommy" duties that ought to be done (sorting through the girl's clothes, rearranging the cupboards now that we have lived here a few months, organizing anything to help with the daily grind, etc.).

Right now I am fixated on what I want to cook and do with the fam this fine New Year's Eve. We will probably play the Wii until our eyes pop out (we now have over 20 different games!!!!). So the entertainment category is done now what to eat.... these are my thoughts so far....

Deep dish pizza made by each person

little dipper crockpot with Rotel sausage dip (we do turkey or chicken sausage here)

Chips for the dippin'

Veggies for dippin' & munchin'

Buckeyes (the candy...) My Mom attempted these and they were really gross but the few she received as presents were yummy! :P Now I must make some!!!

What else??

See my dilemma??? I keep thinking of that when there is stuff to unpack, stuff to clean, stuff to organize, lessons to plan, tests/exams to construct.....oh, and the little toddler tornado who keeps following behind me undoing what I am trying to do. *sigh*

Holiday madness for all and for all a long night....

Reflections of my winter break so far to catch up:
Friday 12/19: Woke up at 2:30am to vomit and dispel other bodily waste products through other body orifices. Went back to bed.
Up at 3am for more of the same. From then until 5am kept thinking that this would pass and I could be at school for the last day prior to winter break. Then 5 year old gets up and joins me in regurgitation. She only got the upper end of the bargain deal though. I call the blackberry number of an administrator I know is at school early since the substitute hotline thing has no answer. He calls me back in about an hour and assures me he will take care of things. I stay home from school and have no idea what my kids did or did not do as I have had no other contact with any one from there since I do no have home phone numbers of any one. Thought I did but no.
Saturday 12/20: Still can only be vertical about 15 minutes at a time before I either feel too dizzy/weak to stand or too nauseous. I begin folding the laundry and packing for our long journey. Oldest B and DH go to Bday party for classmate. Middle B lounges/sleeps as she is still fighting the pukeys too. Baby b unfolds and unpacks any time I turn my back to either task. I then nicknamed her the toddler tornado.
Sunday 12/21: Still having trouble staying upright. Dh packs the car. Finally on the road @ 10:15am. I was armed with a barf bag as I wasn’t sure about the rumbly in my tumbly although I think I disposed of food I consumed when I was 15 years old. Drive for 4 hours then drive through McDonalds. The cheeseburger and fries I ate made my belly ache go away – Yea! Hour later stop to pee and fuel up the car. One more stop in WVa for fuel about 10:30pm. There it was 11 degrees! I had on flip flops. Cold. VERY cold! Finally in at my Mom’s about midnight. Munched some food and went to bed.
Monday 12/22: Drove to the homestead another 2 ½ hours away. Visited with neighbors. Visited with friends and girls got their hair done. Tried to unload storage unit but got dark and got too cold to do that.
Tuesday 12/23: Met friend from college for breakfast as he was driving through town to get to Chicago. Visited Dh’s former place of work. Went to my girl at the salon and got my bad hair cut remedied. YEA! Feeling more like a human now. Dh and I then unload storage unit into our garage. After all the little stuff got out he and another manly man with a truck did the bug stuff as I waded through the boxes deciding what teacher stuff was important enough to make the cut for the little “extra space” we had in the minivan for the trek back to warmer climates. Ice storm comes into town while the boys are toting stuff back and forth. Go back to visit friends some more (yes, they are that important to risk life and limb of my family to see one more time while back home). See another set of friends while there. Drive back into town. Visit other set of neighbors. Go back to original neighbors who we are staying with and got to bed. BTW girls were with those neighbours while we were playing storage shuffle and oldest B vomits in the middle of their living room. For the next few days she randomly throws up here and there. Not out of commission like me and the middle B were. Curious if that is the same virus….
Wednesday 12/24: Get up and get loaded to go back to my Mom’s. Leave niece and nephew’s presents in the garage. D@mn. Hit traffic jam on they way there. Not sure if going to make Christmas Eve church service. Basically we pick my Mom up on our way to church so as not to be late to the service. So much for the dresses I bought the girls. Good church service. Go back to Mom’s the Christmas Eve madness ensues. After festivities over, go to bed.
Thursday 12/25: Lounge around all day until niece has us go to the movies with her to see Marley & Me. I like to escape reality when I watch movies. This was the polar opposite AND the dog dies in the end! Decent movie just so NOT want I wanted. It showcase the trials and tribulations of marriage and parenting during the lifetime of this dog. Then niece and I have dueling rumbly bellies. Finally the flood gates opened for me and after several potty visits my rumbly was gone. She is still only boasting 6 rabbit turds and a aching belly still to this day.
Friday 12/26: Lounged around house. Mamaw took bigger Bs to see Bolt as they were mad they did not go with DH and I the night before. Dh, baby b and me compacted Christmas gifts, did laundry and strategically repacked the van. Later in the evening went to visit an old friend of mine.
Saturday 12/27: At this point Mamaw has the rumblies so she is out of commission on the running interference for the kiddies so DH and I take turns baby wrangling while squishing the remainder fo the stuff into the car. Set out for our 1000+ mile journey at about 11am today and here I ride 12 hours later waiting patiently on my apartment to appear. I did my ESOL homework and am doing this in a word document to update in the next 12 hours or so.
Trip was decent. Not a drive I want to make on a regular basis but one I might do it again this summer if not before….if our house sells!!


Now I am waiting on friends to come by so we can head to the beach (just now adding this to the blog instead of doing my ESOL hw. lol)More later....

More lonely....

Don't want to sob while people are awake to see me but...I had an attack of the "lonelys" this evening. Maybe it was that I did not have the $ to ice skate with oldest B. Maybe it was the fact I was watching her skate while wearing flip flops and a tshirt. Maybe it was the flashing Christmas lights on the bases of the palm trees. Something was just off for me. I was VERY lonely. I wanted to find a corner and cry.

I think I need friends. But to be a good friend that would take a time investment and since there are not enough hours in the day for me to do what I HAVE to do how to I add "find a new friend" to my infinite to do list?

Any one out there my friend???


....crickets chirping.....

*sigh*

I saw what I feel is a preview of a time to come for me. I had a parent teacher conference after school today with a parent who was at her wits end. Her DD either had A's or F's. Literally was choosing whether or not to do the work. Mom has had her to 2 different alternative type schools. On meds that she would not take. In therapy sessions where she would not talk. As a parent what do you do then? Seriously? Mom has taken the computer away and during the conference her cell phone, she had a hired driver (she says) for the student so she can come early to school and stay after for tutoring. She says her daughter has self esteem issues and she even sent her to fitness camp last summer. Student apparently is good in art. I felt bad for the daughter but how can I a lowly teacher help? Then I flashed forward to middle DD sitting in the hot seat and me as the mother. I still don't know the right course of action. I want to know how to help but how do you help some one who won't even 'try' to understand or merely bother to copy something off the front board? Guess this is one of the many reasons I still are stoopid.

Makes me happy....everytime....

Furry happy monsters...


Being Rick Rolled by Beaker...


Ben Stiller as the cheese...@%^!$# won't let me embed so here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_yohVlVbEA

MA NAH MA NA the original....best ringtone I ever use....


the remix Manah mana....


Alien Song...


This was MY interwebz debu....lol


Ok, smiling too much now.....hope you are too!

Turkey Day.....

Pineapple upside down cake - check (and DELICIOUS!!! Not a low cal breakfast, I know but I HAD to try it...).

Turkey in crock pot - check.
I had to wrassle' that breast though. Broke a few ribs to get it to fit in my crock and to be on the safe side, it has been cooking on low since about midnight.

Dressing - almost a check. Everything is toasted/cut up. Just need to melt the butter, add the broth and meld.

Mac and Cheese - pan is waiting on the oven although I may add some shredded cheese in there before it goes for extra gooeyness.

Bad hair cut - DOUBLE check! Now I know why I 'splurged' on expensive salons. Not to self: never ever go to a super clips type place again. I made this promise to myself in 1998 but apparently I forgot why I made myself that rule. Now I remember...........no, I am NOT posting a picture!


Will update more later..................

Hmmmmmmm..........

Wondering if MY tattoo really says my name in Japanese..............

Countdown to Turkey....

I have cooked a Thanksgiving feast before but not in a tiny apartment. Not where I am responsible for the turkey cooking either. DH usually deep fries them outside....in the cold....but now in the Sunshine State I am using a crockpot recipe for the turkey breast AND I am attempting my first hand at homemade dressing (also residing in the crockpot). I am a little disappointed that I will not be serving green beans from my Mom's garden but I guess we will survive. Other items on the menu are homemade mac and cheese, rolls, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, peanut butter cookies and pineapple upside down cake.

Tonight the oldest has a friend over for the evening and I think I will make them bake the cookies and mix the cake for me. Tomorrow I prepare the pieces of the dressing to be thrown together and probably write down a timeline as to what to do when so that maybe all the food gets ready at the same time.

Senility at its finest...

Why is it I think of TONS of things I want/need to blog about but when I have the 2 seconds in front of my computer (without the baby "helping" me... or better yet using the mouse left handed as I am holding her with my right, probably nursing...) my mind totally goes blank?

Cursor blinking.

Screen glowing.

blank..........................

Another one....

So now, some eye and ear candy for y'all..

Artist Site

More Videos

I'm a virgin

at trying to add a video.... so here goes nothing....



Funny even to those who have not done gymnastics....

GCHS kickin' it old school...to think I tumbled with the squad from this school...NOT this one as that would make me much older than I am but.....


Let me see if these work before I go video happy.....

Feeling Blue...

Not sick this weekend (Thank God!) just down, depressed, blue....You would think I hopped out of bed well rested as I did not have my toddler visitor last night (not sure why...need to figure out so I can do a repeat performance...) but regardless, I really do not like waking up and hitting the ground running in the mornings. The girls wake up first - usually WAY before anyone else. Fine. But then it is like I am at their beckon call once I am up. Granted the oldest is wanting to do things on her own which is great but usually makes a bigger mess for me in the long run (like when she makes toast, butter and jelly and leave globs of jelly on the table creating a sticky permanent glue like concoction for anything else that comes in contact with it which is usually my elbow when I am trying to feed the baby). This morning I wanted to read through my new Glamour magazine. I swear I would read maybe 2 sentences before having to answer a question, over see a task being done or pull the baby from licking the screen door (not sure why she wants to do this but soon the whole bottom half will be clean a la baby spit...). I really tried to keep my cool but before noon I was mentally fried. It doesn't help that being in our new state I have no escape. No money to shop (my usual excuse). Don't have any friends other than at work and we have not traded home info so I guess we're still just colleagues then. My blog mommies online are my usual outlet but again I was not being left to myself long enough to read a magazine article (I can wave that over my head while fighting off a baby) so reading through BHB was not an option. Just really a down day. Not happy. Poor, poor pitiful me. :(

Being Sick....

is no fun. :( Woke up with a horrendous headache. 2 Aleves, my morning coffee and some graham crackers later, it had not gone away. I was catatonic most of the day. At last check I have a fever of 101.4. I ache all over. I had such high aspirations for this weekend - cleaning, school work, etc. Ahh...maybe next weekend.

Well, no...

More about the whole bomb thing:

One of my Ss asked me "Was XXX take out of your class?"

I said, "It was during the bell that I had him but we were in the stadium b/c of being evacuated."

He said, "Did you even know he had it in his bag?"

My response was my head shaking side to side for no. After pondering I should have said, "Well, everyday I ask each student if they are carrying a pipe bomb as they come into my class after I say hello and how are you." or "I just put my Xray glasses in for repairs so he snuck this one by me."

Got any other come backs for me?

No, seriously....

So, I am cruising along graded exams (the 4 classes worth that were taken today since last week was a wash...see prior post about bomb) when my cell phone rings. I had luckily turned on the ringer in fear of BWv2 first transport to the gym on their bus this afternoon. Not sure what I was/am worried about but that is just my nature. The lady on the other line says she is from my child's school clinic but everything is all right (why the hell you callin' me then???). That BWv2 has a fever of 101.5 and I needed to come and get her. CRAP! There goes my teacher of the year award for getting all quarter exams graded and recorded in less than 24 hours. Then another thought crosses my mind...it is time for the buses to go there. DOUBLE CRAP!! The one time I tried to have BWv2 be a car rider (I pick her up from school) it took me 35-40 minutes to travel a block (NOT EXAGGERATING!). So I throw everything in my backpack and head out the door. I run into the student who has accommodations for extra time on her exam and was coming to take me up on the offer and I briefly explain that I HAD to leave and we'd deal with it during class time tomorrow which I was trying to avoid. *sigh* DH is more than accommodating as he is going to pick up BWv3 and v4 so I don't have to leave and can continue my plight of grading exams. As the newbie that I am there, I accidentally locked myself out of one of the grading programs b/c I apparently tried to change my passwords out of sequence (3 passwords for 3 main programs and I choose the wrong order to change them....oops...my bad).

On the bright side...no reported bombs in my room today although a student asked me if I even knew the kid had it in my room. Made me feel stupid but....I kind of liked the fact I was stupid to that query. Dinner is mostly done. I did meatballs in the crock pot and will fix some mac and cheese to accompany them closer to eatin' time.

Ok, I will quit procrastinating and go grade.......

Lazy Sundays....

I have always enjoyed Sundays. Relaxing one more day before the work week. Spending it with family and loved ones. Resting. Eating home made food. When I was younger this all came after church but I have nor found a home church since moving from home. I need one. I think that might be the part of resting on Sundays I am missing. I know I want my girls to be brought up in a church family like I was but how does one get started? Still a nice Sunday afternoon nap is always appreciated! :)

HSM

HSM 3 was awesome!!!! I am more addicted now...can't wait for it to come out on DVD and have an HSM night with my girls! Fabulous!

Eventful week...

As if my week was not 'exciting' enough (switching gyms, Mom visiting, BWv4 changing rooms at day care, the bomb thing, etc.), I had to put in my first call to poison control last night b/c our fast-as-lightning little one decided to help herself to some liquid dish soap. I always thought I was calm cool and collected when it comes to emergency type situations but I was freakin' out, man. Not to mention one would think that the first and LARGEST thing that would appear when googling 'poison control' would be the 1-800 number for them. Not so. Had to dig through their web page. I think everyone should have a poison center magnet for their fridge. I thought I had one. Nope. (Adding to my mental "To Get" list: Poison Center magnet.) Turns out as long as there is no bleach in a cleaner you just let their little bodies deal with the substance (read: puke). I think she is all right now but the visual of her gasping past the greenish liquid in her mouth is not one I will soon forget. Although, now she has earned a new nick name: Bubbles. She is really putting me through the Mom paces. You'd think she was my first. Sadly, she is my last. I think she may be trying to help me experience all the "fun" things like this that my first two did not do. Thanks, Bubbles.

Now I know....

the panic it is to be in the middle of a true bomb threat. It was one of my students! Really freaked out.

Two Students Arrested After Bomb Scare On Mid-Term Exam Day

-- There was a real bomb inside High School on Thursday, mid-term exam day, and two students were arrested. Instead of taking tests, all the students had to be evacuated. The bomb was a homemade device found inside the school. It was made out of a CO2 cartridge and some explosive powder.Three-thousand students were evacuated and police put the campus on lockdown as a precaution. Anxious students phoned or texted parents. Some had to wait outside the campus for 90 minutes until it was deemed safe.One worried mom decided to keep her daughter out of school for the rest of the week."The threat may be gone, but if they found one bomb in the school, there might be others. The kids don't know that," parent said.Police took two students into custody after a student spotted one with the device at 8:30am and told a teacher. Police located the student and found the device on him.Investigators said the two students arrested are 15-year-old and 16-year-old. They were charged with incendiary device possession, destructive device on school property or at school event and disturbing the peace/disturbing school function.Police call the device a "stinger," or small pipe bomb. In this case, it was a CO2 canister available at any hardware store, but this one had powder inside and a fuse."It did appear to have the capabilities of exploding. County EOD removed the device," explained Police Department.Students that Eyewitness News talked to said there's often joking chatter on campus about bombs from certain pranksters, but nothing serious until Thursday."I know all the kids and they would have done something stupid," student said."Are these guys troublemakers?" reporter asked her."Pretty much," she said.Thursday was the final day of 9th-week exams, but the students' motivation for bringing what looked like a working bomb onto campus is unknown for now.


So....it was an interesting day to say the least. Happy to be alive.

Schedule change

Why do I feel so discombobulated with schedule changes?

To blog or not to blog..... FAIL

First blog = fail.

Did not save it. Clicked on other things. Post gone. Try again i a minute. Let me see if I can save/post successfully before I pour my heart out again.

ETA: found it....schewwww (wiping sweat off brow)

To blog or not to blog.....

Well, after realizing I have become somewhat addicted to reading blogs (my "mommy board" is changing formats and I am loosing interest in the newer format so I have graduated to blogs)....I think I have made the decision to blog. Yea? The reason I say it like that is I have MORE than enough obligations to occupy my time daily rather than blogging but from what I have been reading it is a nice outlet for venting and when I was a pre-teen/teen I did keep a journal so I guess this could be therapeutic for me. The blogs I have been following are so well written, insightful and well....inspiring. Will mine be that good? Doubtful but I am doing this for me. Wait....a full time WOHM of 3 doing something for herself???? Have I lost my mind? Probably but I guess there are worse things I could be doing. DH has facilitated this new obsession by getting me an Eee PC laptop for my birthday. It is AWESOME! I teased him that he got himself a new toy for my bday but he really has left me alone with it and it is something I needed but never knew I needed until I had one, kwim? As soon as I play with posting a pic I will post on of it.

Well, if anyone is reading this please let me know......just curious.....