It was Monday and I was back at it! After missing nearly a week I expected things to be a lot crazier than they were but it was a pretty good day. I got a lot more done than I thought I would and I hope I can keep that train moving.
I even had a chance to try out the gift from my friend Mrs. D.
Tickled Pink (POSH) Big Fat Yummy Hand Creme
It was like a quick spa after I washed my hands today.
This year I have implemented two new reading interventions- iReady and Reading Mastery and the results have been A-MA-ZING.
I have opened up higher leveled books that have been wrapped in plastic for 8 years!?!
Of course, the students are more excited. With great power comes great responsibility. Now I have to hit the writing so that they can answer those deeper comprehension questions (never a break in the world of learning).
High five for interventions and high TEN for awesome readers.
I may not have mentioned that last month I joined Netflix. The reason I joined was to watch the show Bones... but then that got boring. Then I moved on to documentaries. I watched Blackfish (about the damage that is Seaworld), Audrie and Daisy (about date rape), Aileen (about a female serial killer), Monster of Amsterdam (about a horrible man who tortured his daughter for 30 years).....
pretty soon I started getting depressed.
It's like all these deeply moving stories are out in the world and I'm torn between knowing about it and creating a lot of anxiety for myself. I put the brakes on before I even started Making a Murderer. I thought it wise to look into comedy.
I had NO idea The Office was so hilarious. Why didn't anybody tell me about The Office? My NEW favorite show. I started with Season 1 and currently on Season 7. What a great cast, right?
Today at lunch I actually did something new. I packed a really healthy lunch and I found an empty and quiet room to eat it. I ate all of my lunch (healthy food takes forever to eat) and I watched a 20 min. episode of The Office.
Most of the time I work right through lunch and snack all afternoon or I socialize for too long and get back to my room too late. This was a new plan and I think it really helped me be more mentally prepared for the afternoon.
I also have a totally embarrassing secret.
I watched the episode where Michael Scott gets engaged and tells his coworkers he is moving.... and I started CRYING.
I am so serious. I really started crying (I took a picture).
It was just so sweet how The Office people came together and were so happy for him and even though he drives them crazy they were so upset when he said he was leaving. (I totally got it. It was just so dang sweet.)
Ok...moving on.
I stayed a bit late to work on props for our Leadership Skit.
It was actually fun watching second graders act out the 7 Habits.
The kids felt pretty comfortable with me because they told ME ways to make the skit better within five minutes. They had some good ideas.
Say a prayer for us... we perform on Friday.
I picked up peanut today and she was very excited about the snow/ rain.
Maybe a two hour delay but NO missed school please- some of us had a sick vaycay last week. :(
When I got home, this pen company sent me a pen monogrammed engraved (is that the right word?) with my school/ name/ address on it as a way of trying to sell me something. I'm not buying but I was very excited about the pen.
I don't know how big of a loser you have to be to be excited about a pen but if loving you is wrong, I don't want to be "write".
Today is the first day of my 100 Day Challenge. I have resolved to blog daily for the next 100 days. I have really neglected hobbies in my life and I want to devote some time each day to doing something that I enjoy. I thought about what I wanted to do as a challenge- writing, reading, exercising, bible study, etc. I finally landed on blogging. I think it's something that will challenge me but not so hard that it seems like 'work'.
What. A. Week.
Three cases of strep.
A week out of work.
A week out of 5th grade.
Kindergarten Screening.
#5 Barbie Party.
Time Change.
Wowza.
cutie pie barbie
It was a crazy week but everything worked out for the good.
The party was grand fun (details soon) and it was just soooo Carlee.
We came home Saturday evening and all I could do was leave the kitchen looking like:
and pretty much every room in the house....
Connor went with a pal, so I rinsed Carlee off and we fell asleep in exhaustion watching the first 5 minutes of Turbo.
This morning I woke up very early, 4am. The time change is messing with me. I started to work on the house right away.
All has been cleaned, boxed up, put away, and organized (I think the steroids for the strep throat really helped out with the mission. :) )
Today was a productive day minus the missed service. I was really looking forward to service this morning but between the sickness, the time change, clean up, make up work.... I made an executive decision to stay home. No going out to eat, no running an errand, NO moving the car. We had to stay home for one day. ALL DAY.
fun new game- Pop the Pig
It was a good call.
Once home, Connor was able to finally get caught up on school work and he even took a nap (he NEVAH naps). Carlee was able to spend some quality time resting and playing with her new things. Darren had to work, so no rest for him until he came home of course. ha. ha.
I think I will close the night writing out a few things for tomorrow and I downloaded this magazine on the Kindle.
It was a bit overpriced for a magazine but this cover called to me....
maybe because this very calm/ peaceful/ relaxed woman looks the opposite of
I think the cover was trying to tell me something.
It has been a while since my last post. This is pretty much what my house has looked like since January.
I have been completely overwhelmed and overworked. There has been little time in my life for hobbies, rest, or relaxation.
I can't tell you the amount of money that has been payed in co-pays and medications in two months! We also have much planned this week putting my stress level at a 10: birthday parties, soccer try outs, kindergarten screening, pep rally prep, and I really need to be at work.
Imagine my worry when I came down with THE STREP. I can tell you exactly how I got it. I shared a McDonalds McFrappe with Connor. Every bad story starts with a trip to McDonalds. We have pretty much missed a full week of school. That may not sound like a big deal- but last time Connor missed this much school he dropped a full letter grade in math. I won't even tell you the story of me stepping on my only pair of glasses and the snow forecast for the weekend.....(insert scream).
devil drink
Still, prayers have been answered because we are all in fighting shape today, Carlee is back at daycare with a full set of Frozen cupcakes, my awesome SUPERhusband SUPERglued my glasses until I can get to the eye doctor, and the snow might be more rain/mix after the party.
Now that some major deadlines are behind me, I pray to get back to health and to things that bring me more joy and balance.
Today is a special day and warrants a special post for a special girl.
Life Ambitions: Ears Pierced, Kindergarten
How can five years go by so quickly? Honestly? Remember this baby?
We have a very special birthday party coming soon. Here is a little hint.
I had the wise idea of cutting 24 individual no sew barbie dresses with cheap fabric for the children to decorate. (Yep...It's a hot mess right now but I think we can make a craft out of it yet.) In my house I have a rule. You can have a birthday party or a gift but not both. I mean seriously this isn't MTV Sweet 16. However, Connor has been insistent on getting Carlee a gift. He picked this doll out and I think she will be really excited by it.
Princess Tiana
I was touched because he has been talking about this doll for weeks. Hopefully he can give it to her between kindergarten screening and soccer tonight (if health prevails).
Can you believe I'm doing paperwork for kindergarten!?! I just sent this one to kindergarten yesterday.
Time certainly doesn't stand still. I can only say that I am so very grateful, humble, blessed, and loved to be given five years with this girl.
Happy Birthday Carlee
Age 5
-you have had your own style (since age one)
-thoughtful
-serious
-sensitive
-shy
-funny
-Connor is the #1- cat's meow in your life
-this year you want to be a doctor when you grow up
-all about the make up, jewelry, and shoes.... All the SHOES
-how many shades of pink do you own? I mean seriously...even I'm over the pink (and I INVENTED pink)
-no shirt, no shoes, no sparkle... no sparkle, big problem
-love your barbie play
-imaginative
-insightful
-lover of church and Jesus
-lover of fairytales
-country music (thanks to daddy)
-pink cowboy boots
-Connor's teacher let you borrow a movie and suddenly you love the Wizard of Oz? I should have guessed you could overcome scary monkeys if someone threw in a pair of sparkly, red, high heels.
-your only fear of kindergarten: two male teachers (maybe I can tell them to wear sparkly, red, high heels)
-Daddy simply calls you 'doll'
-spoiled rotten and recognized as a true princess by mommy, daddy, connor, meme, nana, and papa
(sharing princess status with cousin A.)
they are so big!
nearly 11 pounds at birth
(I called you my Quarter Pounder...I told you McDonalds was trouble)
This month I have the winter blues. It may be the weather (hot, cold, hot, cold), politics (crazy, mean, crazy, mean), or the long hill upwards to finishing third and fourth semester (deadlines, projects, deadlines, projects), but I have been feeling low.
Tonight the FAM decided to go out for a rare outing. We enjoyed a nice meal gifted to us for Christmas. There is nothing like a nice family meal to lift you up a bit.
The citrus chili avocado steak was awesome!
My current status: both of my children now have the blues because they are in their rooms crying after I laid down the sassy mouth gauntlet. However, my mood is much better because I have quite a few quotes taken from tonight. I'm also watching an episode of Cops. This show is great. And, if I hear 'mom is mean' I can scream out "YOU DON'T WANT TO BE ON COPS WHEN YOU GROW UP DO YOU??" For example, There is a woman right now who is getting arrested for being drunk and taking her (unsupervised) toddler to a bar. By comparison, I am WINNING at parenting.
Enjoy our family quotes:
Connor: At recess I heard you can buy condos at the gas station. They keep people from making out. ****** Carlee: Dad are you going to get a toe pay? [toupee] ******
[Hears siren from ambulance.] Me: Is that a police car? Carlee: That is not police. It's 'mergency vehicle. ******
Connor: Some video games are so violent they encourage people to kill each other, but don't worry my videos games just encourage me to wrestle professionally. ******
Connor: MeMe has season tickets to my games. ******
Darren: Connor you need to gain some weight. Connor: Dad I'm an 11 year old boy, I'm not suppose to have a Nikki Minaj butt! ******
Carlee: “I can’t wait for 'gindergarten, preschool is too much.” ******
Darren: I wish it would snow for four weeks. ******
In traffic, get behind car that has a license tag that says 'AllensMom'. Me: I don't think Connor wants my license tag to identify me as his mother and vice versa. Darren: You should get a car tag that says 'Darren's Wife'. Amanda: You mean like DarrWFE? Gets behind a van that says 'Gett I Up'. Me: If I'm going to pay extra I want it to say, 'YEEEEHA'. ****** Darren: There are just some strange people out there. ****** Connor: I need a new bed. Darren: You don't need a new bed. Connor: I want a bed like mom's bed. Her bed puts her to sleep right away. Me: That has nothing to do with my bed. I could sleep on concrete. My tired is tired. ****** [gets in trouble] Carlee: You are a scaredy cat. Me: I'm going to scaredy your cat. Connor: That is just weird. ******
Connor: Mom, we have to have this leopard print pillow so I can lay back on it like Donald Trump. ******
Carlee: At school we do group hugs but you have to stand up to hug together. ****** Connor: Dad, are you sad that you have to drive a van instead of a cool car? ******
1. Kids get candy sucker/ flashlights at store. 2. In car, kids fight over the same candy sucker flashlights. 3. Carlee: He broke mine!! [screams and cries] Connor: No I didn't. 4. Me- grabs sucker/flashlight out of child's hand in rage... "I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE HER ALONE". 5. Sucker/ flashlight is not broken until mom jerks it from child, it pops out, hits the roof of car, windshield, and then floor. It is officially broke. Connor (screams): Mom broke it. Mom broke it Carlee! ****** Carlee: Do you try to say jokes a lot mom? ****** Me: Why are we going to Roses? This is a waste of time. We aren't going to find couch covers there??
Connor: Also, Roses is not well lit. We should go to a safe place like Walmart. [Find couch covers after looking for six months.] ******
Connor: Do you know who I thought of when I made that play today? Me: Your awesome mom? Connor: Nope. Awesome Dennis Rodman. ******
