Plans

Well, my oldest had a birthday recently. We didn't properly celebrate it yet due to the recital weekend. So it's off to see Chuck (e Cheese that is). This isn't much fun for me, but I guess in some ways it's easier than entertaining at home, and it is what she wants to do.

My brother was thanking me for sending him to banterist.com. So here is a link to one of my favorite pieces there, Playboy in Braille. I just love this guy. His writing style is so fun. Seems like the kind of guy who would be fun to hang out with because he sees the humor in everything. And he is also a stickler for grammar.

I'm hoping the nightly hailstorms will subside so that we can catch some fireworks this weekend. I keep forgetting that after tomorrow I get 4 whole days off. I really need them too. My house is a disaster area after spending all weekend on that recital, and sorting out six bags of hand-me-downs for my oldest kid. She has a 9 year old cousin and we are so lucky to get her cast offs. Very grateful for that. It's nice because then I only have to fill in a few items and she has a full wardrobe.

I've been so tired lately. I've been trying to reduce my caffeine intake and I know that is to blame. But you get so addicted that you cannot function. That's no good. So I'm cutting it back as much as I dare. But I think caffeine is my 'feel good' substance. I'm not much fun without it.

I cannot wait to see Heather. She'll be at my daughter's party. She has been on vacation and thus not in the office this week. This place really sucks without her!

The Recital

Well this weekend was the big dance recital. It really took almost every waking moment of mine all weekend to have the kids and me ready and punctual for the dress rehersal on Saturday and the performance on Sunday.
Saturday we had to be there at 9:15. I was up at 6:30… Not a good way to start Saturday really. Anyway we didn’t get home from there until well after 2:00. The kids really hung in there well. I got a little concerned though, when they ran through my little one's dance (she is almost 4 and there were 8 girls around her age dancing together with two of the ‘big girls’). She got about 1/3 of the way into it and then started crying. When I asked her why she was crying she told me she wasn’t expecting that to happen. How sweet. Anyway after watching all the other girls on stage, she wanted to go again, but we really couldn’t because we would’ve been there until dinner time if we had waited for the stage to open up.

We decided then to get there early on Sunday. We were able to walk her out on the stage, talk to the big girl who would be dancing beside her, and show her where I would be standing. Her teacher took a few minutes out of her busy day to give her a pep talk too (this is amazing because there are over 150 students of this school). She had a tummy ache off and on for the couple of hours prior to the show. I was in no way going to force the issue, but she was flip-flopping on whether she wanted to dance or not. I figured we’d gently encourage and see what happens. I knew she would be disappointed later if she bailed (like she had been on Saturday). Well she did it, and it was too cute. She looked over to her left a few times to smile at me. There had to be 800 people there and she did great. I was very proud.

My older daughter did the whole thing as if she had done it 1,000 times before. This would surprise you if you’d ever met her. I’ve lamented about her shyness and how I’m afraid it will get in her way. She agreed with my husband yesterday that it was “no big deal”. I love that. She really is maturing a lot these days. And socially, I couldn’t believe how well she is now getting along with all the girls in dance. She is so confident and at ease. It’s all I could hope for. They are great kids.

I have spent 3 hours every weekend at that dance studio (since September). We are always on time, fed and rested for class (the kids are anyway). I volunteered to help backstage with hair, and I ended up being a stage mom for the whole show (which meant watching it from either backstage or the nosebleed section). It doesn’t seem fair that I put so much in and could scarcely partake of the recital. It is hard to pay attention when you have to keep all those kids quiet and in their seats! But I can’t say it is thankless, because I know how much the instructor appreciates the help, and some of the mom’s were very grateful to me as well. Anyhow, if I’m willing to part with just a little more cash, I can purchase the DVD and see the whole show up close :-)

High School Days

I guess I don’t like change. Currently where I work there are many changes occurring. Specifically, people here who perform the same job function as I are quitting here. Most notably of course is Haberchic. If you read her blog then you already know. She plans on working ‘till the end of summer, so at least I’ve got some time to wrestle with that reality.

She and I were talking this morning about High School. We both went to very large schools. We were both unpopular in school and very intimidated by the “In” crowds. It made me think about how when you meet someone as an adult, it is hard to imagine them as a teenager. Someone I work with here thought that I HAD to have been a cheerleader for example (nothing could be farther from the truth actually). But at work I am very confident and outgoing. In life I am very comfortable in my own skin, and I like who I am. Back in school though, I was a Wallflower. I tried to blend in and draw as little attention to myself as I could so as to avoid drawing the wrath of the “in” crowd. I did okay with that I guess, but as a result many people (popular or not) that I knew in school don’t remember me.

So, comment here about High School. Were you popular? Were you a nerd? Did you ever tease or taunt or bully anyone (I did not). Did you love High School? Or like me would you rather take a sharp stick in the eye than go through that again? (course if I could go back now as my current self, like in that Drew Berrymore movie… that would of course be tempting).

"FOXY"

This little guy, a fox kit, visited my backyard on Friday...

Happenings

Beauty Tip:
When using an eyelash curler, preheat it slightly using your blow dryer. Be very careful, you’d be surprised how quickly the blow dryer can heat that thing. The heat will set the curl just like a curling iron and your lashes will look great all day! I read this in a magazine and it really works. Also though if you use too much heat and pressure, you will get ‘fro lashes, and that is not a good look.

Product Review:
Have you seen those disposable toothbrushes, which come complete with one dose of toothpaste? I realized on my way to work today that because I didn’t do my morning junk in the usual order, I somehow skipped the whole tooth-brushing exercise. I decided to stop at a BP station on my way to work and see if I could get something to use. Well I could’ve spent $4.09 on a Reach brush and then laid out a few bucks for toothpaste, or I could try this ingenious disposable jobbie. Lesson learned, spend the $6.00 or so. That thing was brutal!!! The bristles are way too hard and should never be used in the mouth. I spat blood into the sink and assumed that my gums couldn’t take the hard, plastic, cone-like bristles. Then I found that it was my tongue that was punctured and bleeding. Also the toothpaste was a very icky green gel. I do not recommend this product.

Lately

I got a message yesterday from an old friend. I had sent him a belated birthday card. I think of him often, and always on his birthday. He was one of my very best friends for a number of years, used to eat dinner at my mom’s. He even helped my parents move, and me at least one time! Anyway due to circumstances beyond my control, we haven’t really been able to stay close. This has absolutely nothing to do with me or with my husband. My husband actually likes my friend a lot, they were friends too for a few years before things became difficult.
Anyway, he called to thank me for the birthday card, which was nice, but hearing his voice always makes me a little sad because he is someone I thought I’d always have in my life, and not just on our birthdays.

Saw the movie Cars this weekend. I thought it was good, but long for a kid movie. It was funny and had astounding animation. But as a critic in the newspaper had said, it kinda borrowed the whole plot from that Doc Hollywood movie of the 80’s. But we didn’t mind. It was the first time for my kids to go to a movie. I think they were amazed by the size of the picture and the sound and all. That was a great night except for where I got into it with the post-adolescent ticket taker. The manager handled it to my satisfaction though, so I will try not to hold a grudge against the place.

Blogland is quiet these days.

Not Much

No, that is not a sneeze below, but it serves me right for not putting any text to it I suppose.

That is my ootheca, I blogged about it in January. It came with our living Christmas tree. I was hoping that the 10 day stint in my living room didn't do them in. My hubby gave up hope some time ago, but I kept checking it, once or twice a day usually. Finally, the other night I saw that blob hanging there, that is the cast off from a molting they do where they go from looking wormy, to looking like an itsy bitsy praying mantis. A day later my husaband saw that they were still hatching.

Heather and I went to see Rick Springfield a week ago (on the 28th). It was really fun. I got my arm around him, that was cool. He puts on a really good show.

The allure of blogging is starting to subside in me. Not sure how much longer I will try.

Oh and I saw a deer and a hawk this weekend in my yard. (and lots of baby bunnies).