Vacation Update

No Fish!

Tid Bits from Our Vacation

Did you know that President Obama is handed a purple folder everyday and the contents of that folder is ten letters from the American public. That is so cool!

I had all my wisdom teeth pulled two days ago. I am quite swollen in the jowls, or actually, I now have jowls. It feels so weird, like there are teeth missing! Ha Ha. But it actually feels like big holes, I didn’t think I’d miss them that much. It was so brutal getting them out too, the dentist did it right in the office with Novocain, which did save me money. Sometimes I don’t think things through I guess, but I didn’t know that he would actually physically pull out my teeth. I thought there was a machine or something; after all, we are a high tech society. Nevertheless, no, he just pushed and pulled and wiggled, it took about 15 minutes for each tooth. Even the doctor was exhausted it seemed by the end.
Hmmm, I hope I remain an intelligent woman without my wisdom teeth...

Tomorrow we are going fishing! First time this year! I am not such a crazy fisherwoman that I enjoy ice fishing or fishing in cold weather. It should be 65 tomorrow, and that is me. We were going to learn to fly fish this season, but we might need to put htat on the back burner. I have a fly pole but my baby doesn’t. She would need a little one, six feet at the most. The beginner fly-fishing kit for kids at the Wal-Mart is $79.99. That is a lot of money because we don’t know if she’ll be able to do it or like it. Plus, we’d need rubber boots at least, if not waders. It is somewhat disappointing. We were going to tie our own flies; we got a kit at a yard sale. I think I’ll wait and see if a pole for her comes up at a yard sale this year. Oh, and I went to the Fly Fishing Outfitters store in town, and the cheapest pole was $350. For that price it better not only catch the fish, but clean and cook ‘em too!

The good news – we are officially looking for a house. We’ve been to the bank, we just can’t afford that much on my salary. We saw one for $90,000 I was so excited. I told my girl not to get that way, and then I did. Silly me. It was a house in disguise; yeah you guessed it, a trailer in a house suit. The addition on the back was sloping right down; the wood on the windows was rotted. It was a house that would have needed a great deal of money to be livable. I’m a bit handy, but not that handy. I was sadly disappointed. $90,000 houses for sale are few and far between here.

Can you believe the Florida Franck’s Pharmacy killed those 21 polo ponies? Unbelievable.

The mom who dropped her kids off on the road and was arrested, seems to me to be blown out of proportion. When you say you are going to do something, you are supposed to do it. She dropped off her fighting 10 and 12-year-old girls in White Plains, New York. My dad dropped me off once on the highway, and then picked me right up but if you are going to threaten it, you’re supposed to do it. The mom spent the night in jail for it, is that the parenting police? It didn’t seem like a shady neighborhood, but I was raised when at ten we could go wherever and be fine. This is a different world I guess. See, it just goes to show rich lawyers don’t know any better than anyone else does – a mad mom is a mad mom.

Other than that we have just been cleaning and cleaning. I will still have to pack up so much stuff it’s not funny. But I cleaned the garage, had a yard sale and got things a bit organized and toned down. Fishing tomorrow, no cleaning, nothing that’s not fun! I need a vacation day on this vacation week.

Be peaceful.

Faux Robbery

I was fake robbed today. No, I’m serious. I’m calling it my faux robbery. I was teaching my second block when a call came through from my neighbor that she woke up at 9:30ish and her front door was wide open. Thinking it strange of course, she came out and saw my door was wide open too. Things in the house were a bit messy, but the neighbor’s cat had been in there frolicking with mine. Why not, my locked door was open! I raced home and couldn’t find anything missing, but I only had a few minutes before I had to turn around and go back. My computer, laptop, camera, were okay. My television is a 400 pound old monster of the first flat screen kind, so no one could even steal that. After I returned to work, my boss asked if I checked my jewelry. Duh, after worrying all day, I came home and couldn’t find two gorgeous rings my fellow teacher had given me for my fortieth. I had the opal I bought myself on thank goodness. Anyway, it turns out that the property owner found one of the vacant apartment’s front doors wide open too. We did call the police and they don’t know. Maybe kids skipping school? Who knows?

I know I shouldn’t complain because as far as I know nothing has been stolen. Also one of the living room curtain rods was pulled down, actually the screw for the rod was pulled right out of the sheetrock. I have to wonder if someone thought that was the back door. Not being robbed has been so stressful! I know it is crazy but if they had stolen something at least I would know why whomever was in my house. What kind of craziness is going on? I wonder if they stole something to eat. I wouldn’t really know I don’t think. Even if they sat down and ate a bowl of cereal, I wouldn’t know. I’d probably wash the bowl and think it was my girls. My ship isn’t run that tightly.
Well that was my day. I hope everyone else had a stress free day!

My Confession...

I have a confession to make. I think I’m a helicopter mom. That is what teachers call moms who hover above their kids, are always calling and emailing, are involved in absolutely everything to the point of annoyance. Well I’m one of them.

The last two nights we have had Passover Seders. The night before I had a doctor’s appointment (where she did her math work), Monday afternoon a dental cleaning, etc., so it’s been a busy, busy week. We forgot to do homework. She has to bring it in on Fridays, and we couldn’t even find the folder it’s supposed to go in and I had to get to work. The punishment for not doing your homework is that you can’t go out for recess. She was so devastated, she said, “I’ll never breathe fresh air again!” Very dramatic, but very effective on the mother, hee hee. I felt so bad leaving a crying upset kid and goint off to work.

On my way to work I tried to call the teacher to say that it is all mom’s fault and she is upset that we don’t know where her homework is. The teacher wasn’t in yet, and the principal answered the phone. I asked for the teacher and he said my NAME! Ahhh, he knows my voice. I think I call too much; I’m one of those moms that the teacher’s complain about! Oh no! Hello, I am a helicopter mom, and apparently, I’m good at it.

Thank you soldiers.

I just watched a heartwrenching movie, Grace is Gone with John Cusack. A dad has to tell his daughters that their mother was killed in Iraq. It makes you think of how many people all over the world have to have these conversations with children, that their parent isn't coming home because of insane terrorists who have no care for who they hurt.

Thank you to all of the soldiers everywhere! Thank you for keeping us safe and putting yourselves at risk everyday.

Thank you!

I just want to tell the world what a wonderful bunch of friends and neighbors I have. Thank you everyone.

My daughter had the horrid stomach bug that's going around and was sent home last week from school and she's been home ever since. Well home as in at all the friends and neighbors, thank you all for letting my little one come over before seven and lay on your couches and beds and watch TV, rest, read for the day. Thank you for sitting at my apartment so I could run to the store. Thank you for the rides for her. Thanks to my first block for their kindness and funniness when she had to come to school with me. The good news is although her tummy hurt still this morning, when she felt better she went to school for the afternoon. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she will get on that bus in the morning, poor little thing.

One lesson I've learned since I became a single mom, learned again after my surgery, and was just reminded of this week, sometimes you have to ask for and accept help. Thank you everyone for the help!

Photos of the Baby Shower Crafts!

Finally located my memory card from the camera, duh. It is so tiny, I should never take that out. But it is so convenient that you can pop it right into the laptop and not use the cord.

Okay the highly anticipated baby shower crafts I made for my godson's girls baby shower:



Flower Pot Painted and Ribbons Glued on, flowers are clothes rolled up, dowels painted green, construction paper leaves. Flowers were a bathing suit, two onesie type outfits-one long sleeve and one short sleeve, the big pink ones are actually a sweatsuit, socks, and little washclothes.


Teddy Bear Made of Towels, 2 Bath Towels, 2 Hand Towels, 4 Washcloths


Diaper Cake


Our killer cute cupcakes, the duckys on top we made with chocolate molds.

All of these ideas are my interpretation of ideas from Woman's Day, and different websites. Let me not take all of the credit. All of my gifts doubled as decorations, great baby shower idea! Double the fun.


Bucket o'duckies we gave out as party favors. We tied pink ribbons around the cute little duckies necks.

Let's all do this!!!

Earth Hour 2009
On March 28, at 8:30 pm local time, one billion people will go dark for Earth Hour. World Wildlife Fund is asking individuals, businesses, governments and organizations around the world to turn off their lights to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions.

Already hundreds of icons and landmarks around the world have signed up to turn their lights off for Earth Hour 2009 including - the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Sydney Opera House, Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens and The London Eye, among many others.

*my only question is when in local time, or it would be lights off in one time zone at a time I guess...

For my NZ friends, you rock!
March 10, 2009: At precisely 8.30pm on March 28 the diesel generators will be switched off on the Chatham Islands, a small archipelago off the east coast of New Zealand, heralding the start of the greatest community event the world has ever witnessed - Earth Hour 2009.

As the first country to flick the switch for the global event, WWF New Zealand's Earth Hour organiser, Dairne Poole sees her country as playing a vital role in Earth Hour’s journey to reach one billion people in over 1,000 cities, across 25 time zones.

"New Zealand will be the first country in the world to turn its lights off for Earth Hour 2009 with 43 councils and local bodies taking part. Even though we are a small nation, we are setting an important example for others to witness and hopefully follow," says Ms Poole.

The global wave of participation will gather momentum through Asia Pacific with major cities such as Sydney, Seoul, Beijing, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Mumbai and Delhi dimming the lights as millions flick the switch to express their concern for the planet.

This is so great I am putting a link to the Earth Hour website over in Links I Love.

What is wrong with people?

Some days I just can’t watch the news, did you hear about his mother who made her daughter stand on a piece of tape in one spot in the living room in just underwear and socks from 3 pm when she returned home from school until 3 am. She would spray her with water and keep a fan on her to keep her awake. When she wasn’t doing this she had her locked in her room with the heat duct taped over so she had no heat, with no clothes or blankets or anything. This kid it said was 10 and she got bruises just from standing still, imagine that. Plus, who know how long she’s been going this. What the f is wrong with people? Now why can’t the judge punish the mother as she punished her child? That bitch was smiling in court and waving at people, she has no idea what kind of torture she put her child through, and someone ought to do it to her. Jail is too kind.