"Yes, there is no doubt that paper is patient and as I don't intend to show this cardboard covered notebook...to anyone, unless I find a real friend, boy or girl, probably nobody cares. And now I come to the root of the matter, the reason for my diary: it is that I have no such real friend."
-Anne Frank
I'm reading a text on counseling techniques and this was the intro to the chapter I'm reading...it touched me...I've wanted to read "The Diary of Anne Frank" for a while...but alas, it's another one on the long long list of books I hope to someday have time to enjoy. For now...I share this quote with you...
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
ouch!
I ran (& walked) 6.36 miles this morning. (snow day today, no work for me!)
I am sooooooooooooo sore!!
The 2 ibuprofen I took are not working.
What in the world am I going to do after 13.1 miles? Renting a wheelchair from WDW probably!!
In other news...we had a snow day today in anticipation of a snowstorm. I think this is hysterical because having grown up in Michigan, well, we were lucky to get a snow day at all, let alone a late start. Ha! It was "get to school or else!"
It finally began snowing around 3pm but is not sticking to concrete quite yet. They are saying we will get 4 inches. Ha! That will be the most we've ever gotten since I've lived here.
I will likely be confined to the house all weekend since this city is a joke when it comes to snow cleanup/removal...and the countless hilly roads to get to my house. I really hope it's at least passable on Sunday so I can go study at B&N.
I am sooooooooooooo sore!!
The 2 ibuprofen I took are not working.
What in the world am I going to do after 13.1 miles? Renting a wheelchair from WDW probably!!
In other news...we had a snow day today in anticipation of a snowstorm. I think this is hysterical because having grown up in Michigan, well, we were lucky to get a snow day at all, let alone a late start. Ha! It was "get to school or else!"
It finally began snowing around 3pm but is not sticking to concrete quite yet. They are saying we will get 4 inches. Ha! That will be the most we've ever gotten since I've lived here.
I will likely be confined to the house all weekend since this city is a joke when it comes to snow cleanup/removal...and the countless hilly roads to get to my house. I really hope it's at least passable on Sunday so I can go study at B&N.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
i want wednesday
I want it to be April 30, 2010. I'll be done with classes. I'm already burned out on this semester and it's i'm only 3 weeks in. not good.
I want it to be June 2010...rumor has it that Verizon is getting the iPhone. I'm hoping by some good fortune I will be able to afford the service by then & begin my long-awaited love affair with the iPhone.
I want to win the Powerball that I am going in on with a bloggy-friend! We are playing twice in February "in honor" of our kids birthdays...hopefully that's the magic trick to winning.
I want to gain some self confidence in regards to my counseling skills. It's a bit scary doing this Practicum & the worst part is I have to tape my sessions & listen to them with my professor and fellow classmates. Ack!
I want a full Saturday, to myself, to do as I please, be it studying, shopping or watching a movie...without worry.
I want to feel at peace & not rushed on Sundays when I need take 3-4 hours to study at the local bookstore.
I want my dad to be ok. (he went to hospital today with super duper high blood pressure & has been having issues with it for a few weeks now)
I want it to be June 2010...rumor has it that Verizon is getting the iPhone. I'm hoping by some good fortune I will be able to afford the service by then & begin my long-awaited love affair with the iPhone.
I want to win the Powerball that I am going in on with a bloggy-friend! We are playing twice in February "in honor" of our kids birthdays...hopefully that's the magic trick to winning.
I want to gain some self confidence in regards to my counseling skills. It's a bit scary doing this Practicum & the worst part is I have to tape my sessions & listen to them with my professor and fellow classmates. Ack!
I want a full Saturday, to myself, to do as I please, be it studying, shopping or watching a movie...without worry.
I want to feel at peace & not rushed on Sundays when I need take 3-4 hours to study at the local bookstore.
I want my dad to be ok. (he went to hospital today with super duper high blood pressure & has been having issues with it for a few weeks now)
lyrics
~I am entirely & completely obsessed with Lady Antebellum lately...big time!! Their latest album was released yesterday and I felt compelled to share some great lyrics with all of you!
If I Knew Then
The first time that I saw you
Looking like you did
We were young, we were restless
Just two clueless kids
But if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
On a bus in Chicago
Three rows to the left
You know my heart was racing for you
But we never even met
But if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
Chorus
'Cause love only comes once in awhile
Knocks on your door and throws you a smile
And takes every breath, leaves every scar
Speaks to your soul and sings to your heart
And if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
On a summer night in August
In the back seat of my car
Instead of trying to get to know you
I took it way too far
But if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
Repeat Chorus
Oh I used up a lot of chances
I can't get them back
But if again it comes calling
I'm gonna make it last
Oh if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
If I Knew Then
The first time that I saw you
Looking like you did
We were young, we were restless
Just two clueless kids
But if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
On a bus in Chicago
Three rows to the left
You know my heart was racing for you
But we never even met
But if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
Chorus
'Cause love only comes once in awhile
Knocks on your door and throws you a smile
And takes every breath, leaves every scar
Speaks to your soul and sings to your heart
And if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
On a summer night in August
In the back seat of my car
Instead of trying to get to know you
I took it way too far
But if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
Repeat Chorus
Oh I used up a lot of chances
I can't get them back
But if again it comes calling
I'm gonna make it last
Oh if I knew then what I know now
I'd fall in love
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
the Good, the Bad & the Ugly
In an effort to curb the negativity & complaining that often plagues my blog...here I present another episode of "the good, the bad & the ugly"...
Good: I picked up my financial aid check today! Woot!!
Bad: I could have picked it up yesterday.
Ugly: My coworker would not cover my last 30 minutes of walk-in hours yesterday so I could get to the Bursar's office before they closed at 4:30pm.
Good: I was selected as an yearly-review evaluator for above mentioned co-worker. Hello Karma!
Bad: My Monday went from mediocre to total crap in less than 1 hour.
Ugly: The idiot drivers on the highway & my slight weight gain of .4lbs sent me over the edge into a completely pissy mood.
Good: the campus library offers 1 hr Photoshop classes every semester & I signed up. Yay!
Bad: They are offered during my walk-in hours.
Ugly: Supervisor alluded to the fact that she didn't want me to miss walk-in hours because then SHE would have to do them...so no personal development for me. thank.you.very.much. I have conceded that I will NEVER know alot about Photoshop...I don't learn well by reading books/manuals & self teaching...heck a few years ago I did an on-line course and that was a disaster. I was hoping to learn it more from a graphic design perspective, not just touching up photos..alas, that will not happen. Not being able to take these classes was a contributing component to my completely crappy Monday.
Good: We are going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner tonight...to celebrate receiving my financial aid check. Tee! I may have to consume some alcohol...but probably won't.
Bad: I will probably consume too many points at dinner tonight.
Ugly: Right now, I don't give a hoot.
Good: After dinner, we will proceed to Bath & Body Works at the mall so I can get a ScentBug, which is just about the cutest little air freshener thingee to ever exist. I need it for my office. There are some stinky college kids.
Bad: After B&BW there will be no more "fun" shopping...back to reality, which sucks right now.
Ugly: psycho-classmate left me with the duty of getting candy/treats for our presentation tomorrow night..we are playing Jeopardy & need "prizes"...she must think I'm made of money. She also left me with making the necessary copies for handouts.
Good: I am no longer meeting with psycho-classmate today to review our presentation for tomorrow night's class.
Bad: After more than 20 emails since Saturday, she came to the realization that we indeed did NOT need to meet.
Ugly: I hope she doesn't have a nervous breakdown during the presentation tomorrow, based on her emails, that is a great possibility. honest. she's flippin' nuts.
Good: I made the cutest little mini album over the weekend & plan to use it for pictures of E of course. You can see it here.
Bad: I don't have as much time to scrapbook as I would like.
Ugly: I haven't sewn a single thing in about two weeks now. *sad sad face*
Good: I picked up my financial aid check today! Woot!!
Bad: I could have picked it up yesterday.
Ugly: My coworker would not cover my last 30 minutes of walk-in hours yesterday so I could get to the Bursar's office before they closed at 4:30pm.
Good: I was selected as an yearly-review evaluator for above mentioned co-worker. Hello Karma!
Bad: My Monday went from mediocre to total crap in less than 1 hour.
Ugly: The idiot drivers on the highway & my slight weight gain of .4lbs sent me over the edge into a completely pissy mood.
Good: the campus library offers 1 hr Photoshop classes every semester & I signed up. Yay!
Bad: They are offered during my walk-in hours.
Ugly: Supervisor alluded to the fact that she didn't want me to miss walk-in hours because then SHE would have to do them...so no personal development for me. thank.you.very.much. I have conceded that I will NEVER know alot about Photoshop...I don't learn well by reading books/manuals & self teaching...heck a few years ago I did an on-line course and that was a disaster. I was hoping to learn it more from a graphic design perspective, not just touching up photos..alas, that will not happen. Not being able to take these classes was a contributing component to my completely crappy Monday.
Good: We are going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner tonight...to celebrate receiving my financial aid check. Tee! I may have to consume some alcohol...but probably won't.
Bad: I will probably consume too many points at dinner tonight.
Ugly: Right now, I don't give a hoot.
Good: After dinner, we will proceed to Bath & Body Works at the mall so I can get a ScentBug, which is just about the cutest little air freshener thingee to ever exist. I need it for my office. There are some stinky college kids.
Bad: After B&BW there will be no more "fun" shopping...back to reality, which sucks right now.
Ugly: psycho-classmate left me with the duty of getting candy/treats for our presentation tomorrow night..we are playing Jeopardy & need "prizes"...she must think I'm made of money. She also left me with making the necessary copies for handouts.
Good: I am no longer meeting with psycho-classmate today to review our presentation for tomorrow night's class.
Bad: After more than 20 emails since Saturday, she came to the realization that we indeed did NOT need to meet.
Ugly: I hope she doesn't have a nervous breakdown during the presentation tomorrow, based on her emails, that is a great possibility. honest. she's flippin' nuts.
Good: I made the cutest little mini album over the weekend & plan to use it for pictures of E of course. You can see it here.
Bad: I don't have as much time to scrapbook as I would like.
Ugly: I haven't sewn a single thing in about two weeks now. *sad sad face*
Sunday, January 24, 2010
chugging along
So i'm heading into week 3 of the semester. Is it too early to wish it was late April? Cuz I do. Really. I'm soooo burned out on, well, everything...school, work, life, etc.I received at least 10 emails in the past two days from crazy/needy classmate that I was (un)fortunate enough to be paired with for a presentation this Wednesday night. She is stressing me out and I really have a pretty high tolerance when it comes to stress...it's wearing thin now, like very thin. She is coming into my office on campus on Tuesday around lunchtime so we can go over what we've put together...I'm dreading that. sorry. but I am.
My work @ the high school is going good so far. I had my first two counseling sessions on Friday. Man kids these days sure have issues...well, maybe kids had them when I was their age and I just wasn't aware of it...wow. sad. very sad.
In just these two short weeks at the high school I have already discovered/determined/decided that I want to work at the high school level...pretty funny since I NEVER thought I would want that and had always said I would prefer the Elementary school level.
A few reasons for this decision:
(1) in this county, if you are assigned an elementary school, you are typically the ONLY counselor there AND you will likely have 2 schools to report to. I don't want to be alone, at least in my first years as a school counselor and I really don't want to be driving to different schools. It makes it hard to feel a sense of belonging too.
(2) at the high school level, there are typically 3-4 counselors, while you do less "counseling", you still have kids you will see on a regular basis.
(3) the high school work contract is 10 days longer than the elementary level which means you get a little bit more money...less time off, but I can handle that.
(4) the type of work is so different between both levels, but I'm pretty certain I know where I want to be now....of course, in the Fall I will be doing my Internship in an elementary school (requirement to experience different age level than Practicum)...so we'll see if that sways my decision, but I'm thinking that it won't.
My only exciting news from the weekend: I booked a breakfast reservation for a Character Dining at the Magic Kingdom when we are in FL in March. I don't know who will be more excited to dine with Disney characters...me or Ethan....
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
I Want Wednesday...
Yes, I still want one of these Northface Denali Fleece jackets...they look so good on every (other) student here on campus...makes me want one too...plus maybe it'll help me look younger. LOL!! They are insanely expensive however, so I don't anticipate getting one anytime soon.
I would love this battery grip for my Canon SLR....
I've wanted SIRIUS radio for quite a while but could never really justify it with working from home (no commute) and then a short commute and then well, no job at all...I have enough of a commute nowadays (in my opinion) to justify it, but with a monthly fee...it won't be happening anytime soon. It will be nice if I ever do get it...NHL games AND MLB too!! Finally I'll be able to keep up with my Detroit Red Wings & Tigers.
Oh i wish these Dell Mini Laptops were out a year ago when I was in the market...I love my laptop and even though it only weighs about 5lbs...that makes my schoolbag A WHOLE LOT heavier and I dread hauling it around. These little mini laptops are sooo cute...I got to see one up close recently too...would have been perfect for school since I do mainly word processing & internet surfing on it. Oh well.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
karma is kicking my butt
~seriously, somewhere along the line I must have really pissed off the karma gods because i'm getting some sort of payback already this semester. i really don't know what i did to deserve this...i really do try to be quite cautious and aware of the ol' karma payback...
~example #1: paired with 1 of 2 most annoying classmates for presentation project. after class last week, she looks at me and says "are you ok with presentations?" as if i'd never done one before. oh, did i mention she is at least 10 yrs younger than me? that might explain her question. i think next time I may have to respond in a rude, yet obvious way so that people quit asking me such rude & stupid questions. really?!?!
~example #2: remember the OVER-SHARER from that class I took last Summer? Guess who sat in front of me in class last Wednesday night resulting in working together to do a little in class task and then to make me even happier...i got paired with her to do a fairly large project. I'm on a roll...lucky me!!
~example #3: the textbook situation I mentioned last week (i think i mentioned it here, but may have been only on Twitter). luckily I was able to sell the book and recoup my losses...however, my friend here in the office told me she would loan me TWO of her books which saves me forking out about $100 (yay!)...the karma...she has forgotten to bring them in TWICE now and well, I have class tomorrow night and clearly won't be able to get any reading done.
~example #4: the 3rd textbook I need for this semester was $13 cheaper on Amazon than our school bookstore, so I ordered it last week...a bit late, however Amazon has NEVER let me down with their expeditious shipping -orders arriving WAY sooner than expected- til now!!!! Of course, ONE time when I need the book ASAP, it's taking forever. I didn't even get the email notification for 2-3 days post placing the order that it was shipping out.
~example #5: excess financial aid is deposited tomorrow. guess who forgot when she closed her Texas bank account two months ago that the financial aid is routed for THAT account. I submitted the account change today but it will be another week until the funds are returned to the university and then issued out to me. Of course this only happens when I REALLY need the $$. Yay me!!
Ahhhh...really loving life right now...can't you see why!?!?!
~example #1: paired with 1 of 2 most annoying classmates for presentation project. after class last week, she looks at me and says "are you ok with presentations?" as if i'd never done one before. oh, did i mention she is at least 10 yrs younger than me? that might explain her question. i think next time I may have to respond in a rude, yet obvious way so that people quit asking me such rude & stupid questions. really?!?!
~example #2: remember the OVER-SHARER from that class I took last Summer? Guess who sat in front of me in class last Wednesday night resulting in working together to do a little in class task and then to make me even happier...i got paired with her to do a fairly large project. I'm on a roll...lucky me!!
~example #3: the textbook situation I mentioned last week (i think i mentioned it here, but may have been only on Twitter). luckily I was able to sell the book and recoup my losses...however, my friend here in the office told me she would loan me TWO of her books which saves me forking out about $100 (yay!)...the karma...she has forgotten to bring them in TWICE now and well, I have class tomorrow night and clearly won't be able to get any reading done.
~example #4: the 3rd textbook I need for this semester was $13 cheaper on Amazon than our school bookstore, so I ordered it last week...a bit late, however Amazon has NEVER let me down with their expeditious shipping -orders arriving WAY sooner than expected- til now!!!! Of course, ONE time when I need the book ASAP, it's taking forever. I didn't even get the email notification for 2-3 days post placing the order that it was shipping out.
~example #5: excess financial aid is deposited tomorrow. guess who forgot when she closed her Texas bank account two months ago that the financial aid is routed for THAT account. I submitted the account change today but it will be another week until the funds are returned to the university and then issued out to me. Of course this only happens when I REALLY need the $$. Yay me!!
Ahhhh...really loving life right now...can't you see why!?!?!
high school 1989 vs 2010
~so i started my Practicum last Thursday.
~i will be at a local high school all day Thursdays and 1/2 the day on Fridays (hence no Twitter/Email/Computer time for me)
~anyway, I am completely blown away by the changes in high school compared to when I attended...back in the stone ages.
(1) students get a syllabus for each class, take it home & their parents sign it....in essence, they know what they need to do for the course etc...you know like IN COLLEGE!!! I thought syllabi only existed at the college level...not anymore!!
(2) scheduling...holy moly...how confusing is this...there are "blocks", "cores" and "classes"...wth is the difference? I still don't know but I think I'll know in a month or so. Back when I went to high school, it was pretty simple...6 hours, each hour was a different class...not too hard to figure out.
(3) lunch!! we could NOT leave the building without an act of God...nowadays kids can leave for lunch or even better...have their dad drop off Subway...how freakin' cool is that? Oh yeah..and they have vending machines in the hallways...i don't think vending machines had been invented yet when I went to high school (kidding...but we didn't have any in school, that's for sure)
I'm sure there will be many more shocking changes to come as I get used to my new "workplace"...
Oh and I lost .8 lbs this past week to bring my grand total to 15lbs!!! Hooray!! That should definitely make a difference in my running ability come March 7th!!!
~i will be at a local high school all day Thursdays and 1/2 the day on Fridays (hence no Twitter/Email/Computer time for me)
~anyway, I am completely blown away by the changes in high school compared to when I attended...back in the stone ages.
(1) students get a syllabus for each class, take it home & their parents sign it....in essence, they know what they need to do for the course etc...you know like IN COLLEGE!!! I thought syllabi only existed at the college level...not anymore!!
(2) scheduling...holy moly...how confusing is this...there are "blocks", "cores" and "classes"...wth is the difference? I still don't know but I think I'll know in a month or so. Back when I went to high school, it was pretty simple...6 hours, each hour was a different class...not too hard to figure out.
(3) lunch!! we could NOT leave the building without an act of God...nowadays kids can leave for lunch or even better...have their dad drop off Subway...how freakin' cool is that? Oh yeah..and they have vending machines in the hallways...i don't think vending machines had been invented yet when I went to high school (kidding...but we didn't have any in school, that's for sure)
I'm sure there will be many more shocking changes to come as I get used to my new "workplace"...
Oh and I lost .8 lbs this past week to bring my grand total to 15lbs!!! Hooray!! That should definitely make a difference in my running ability come March 7th!!!
Monday, January 18, 2010
i'm watching you
~having fun with my camera and Picnik yesterday
~this is just a sampling of what my house looks like on a regular basis...pieces of Mr. Potato Head all over the floor...but when I noticed this piece laying on the floor in this position, it sort of called out to me for a picture. looking at it makes me laugh....and i need all the laughing i can get these days.
~happy for a day off today, spending it with E just hanging out...the best kind of day!!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
books and more books
~just a small portion of the books awaiting me on my nightstand...i can never seem to get caught up.~much rather be reading these than the textbooks that will dictate my life for the next 4 months....*sigh*
~happy sunday to you.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
back to my roots
~looks like i may have to put sewing on the back-burner for a while and go back to scrapbooking for my creative outlet...for the following reasons...
1) i am missing at least one or more "things" to complete all of my current sewing projects and I have a big fat ZERO in my bank account which makes getting these things very difficult.
2) i have tons of scrapbooking stuff and would not need to buy anything in order to create a page or a mini book...heck I have TWO mini-books I never even finished..maybe I ought to start there.
3) scrapbooking projects typically take ALOT less time than my sewing projects and time is certainly an issue now that school is back in full force.
1) i am missing at least one or more "things" to complete all of my current sewing projects and I have a big fat ZERO in my bank account which makes getting these things very difficult.
2) i have tons of scrapbooking stuff and would not need to buy anything in order to create a page or a mini book...heck I have TWO mini-books I never even finished..maybe I ought to start there.
3) scrapbooking projects typically take ALOT less time than my sewing projects and time is certainly an issue now that school is back in full force.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
post by numbers
23-daily points i'm allotted on WW...soon will go down to 22...gasp!
14-pounds lost so far.
26-days 'til E turns TWO years old. Whoa! Where did that time go?
4-watches i own that currently need batteries. good thing i'm a watch-junkie & have others i can wear in the meantime.
60-dollars to put batteries in above mentioned watches...wth? why are watch batteries $15 a pop?
3-books I read between semesters...my goal was 5...fail!
258-dollars that OB is charging me for recent procedure that my crap United Health Care Student insurance did not cover. some benefit that "free" health care "coverage" turns out to be...too bad it doesn't COVER much!! i asked OB for discount & she declined...unless i had paid it on the day of the procedure...well, I didn't know THEN that crap insurance wouldn't cover it. thanks. for. nothing.
307-dollars that Pediatrician is charging us for all our December visits...see note above on how I feel about this. i am basically moved to tears because things in this household are tighter than ever before...already feeling strangled. bad enough I have to pay a truckload for daycare...but then get hit with this on top of it, which is a direct result of going there. i am really hating daycare right now...and doctors...and insurance companies.
14-pounds lost so far.
26-days 'til E turns TWO years old. Whoa! Where did that time go?
4-watches i own that currently need batteries. good thing i'm a watch-junkie & have others i can wear in the meantime.
60-dollars to put batteries in above mentioned watches...wth? why are watch batteries $15 a pop?
3-books I read between semesters...my goal was 5...fail!
258-dollars that OB is charging me for recent procedure that my crap United Health Care Student insurance did not cover. some benefit that "free" health care "coverage" turns out to be...too bad it doesn't COVER much!! i asked OB for discount & she declined...unless i had paid it on the day of the procedure...well, I didn't know THEN that crap insurance wouldn't cover it. thanks. for. nothing.
307-dollars that Pediatrician is charging us for all our December visits...see note above on how I feel about this. i am basically moved to tears because things in this household are tighter than ever before...already feeling strangled. bad enough I have to pay a truckload for daycare...but then get hit with this on top of it, which is a direct result of going there. i am really hating daycare right now...and doctors...and insurance companies.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
randomness
~the WDW Princess 1/2 marathon is just around the corner and I'm happy to report that my travel details are just about finalized.
~it was all sort of in the air as to WHO was going with me, if anyone. once reality hit me in the face (hard) and I concluded that O is not capable (or willing) to be at home alone OVERNIGHT with E, that left me NO choice but to take E with me...which is perfectly fine with me...except then SOMEONE else needs to come along to watch him during the race. I was hoping my mom's husband would grant her "permission" to go or worse case scenario, she would offer to keep E at her house while I went alone...well, I'm so excited that mom, me and E are all traveling to Orlando in March! Hooray!!
~pretty excited to have a mom and daughter trip that is long overdue, and with the little man in tow it will make be that much MORE fun, especially at WDW. So So So excited!!
~mom even offered to drive, which would be awesome as it would keep the cost MUCH lower and adds the lovely component of flexibility with having our own vehicle down there.
~one hitch...i have only reserved the hotel for TWO nights, now we need more nights. hopefully there is availability one night prior and 1-2 nights post-race. mom will call to find out for me since I can't (shouldn't) call long distance from work. (why doesn't Disney have a 1-800 for these things???)
~we did look at Allegiant Air as they fly direct from TYS to MCO but I think we both agree we'd rather drive, for above mentioned reasons, although in the future, Allegiant has direct and CHEAP flights to MCO...like weekend-getaway cheap!!! Hi Dawn!
~i was craving red velvet cake last night. O said he'd go get some for me. he lied. now i'm a PMSing, sweet-craving-bitch. yay me.
~i sewed a cute little potholder last night. i decided that it looked better w/o the quilting. now i'm sad. it stinks when you only have time to sew a small item & then it doesn't turn out to your liking. just saying. i wonder if I'll EVER get good enough to sell anything I make. it seems things start out looking good and inevitably i ruin them somehow.
~i don't care for my 1st quilt as much as initially did. cannot wait to get quilt #2 finished because I think I'll like it much better. I'm thinking that I will put quilt #3 in my Etsy shop once it's completed (as long as I don't ruin it). Quilt #4 has been a bit of a thorn in my side....due to a drastic cutting error i made after enjoying a nice long day of sewing on Saturday. I spent 1/2 of Sunday making the repairs and it should turn out ok in the end...i hope.
~finishing all of these quilts is on hold because i'm in need of batting (for the inside) as well as fabric for the backs of #3 and #4....
~on the bright side, i did somewhat successfully manage to make a pincushion a few days ago.
~on Thursday I begin my Practicum at a local high school. i will be working with the freshmen students and also working with a former fellow classmate...she didn't take 1.5 yrs off of school (to have a baby) like I did, so she's graduated and has been working almost 2 years now. I will be working at the high school all day on Thursdays and 1/2 the day on Fridays for the semester.
~when I finish this semester, I will only have my Internship left to complete...while that sounds like I'm nearly done...sadly, it will take me another FULL school year to complete since I cannot do Internship over the Summer as there is NO (public) school in session over the Summer. :(
~there actually is one school district that is in session the full year. i'm going to inquire about possibly doing my first 1/2 of Internship there over the Summer, but I'm pretty sure it's not an option as I don't believe the university works with said school district or even offers internship over the Summer...i figure it's worth asking about though.
~since I'm pretty sure I want to work in an elementary school once I finish this long-drawn-out-masters-degree, that is where I will do my internship in order to gain the most experience at the age/grade level that I eventually hope to work in. :)
~i'm considering joining a local MOPS group (Moms of PreSchoolers)...another girl in the office belongs to one and while they are typically hosted at churches (this IS the Bible Belt after all)...the level of "preaching" varies at each location...so the next meeting is this Thursday and I can take E with me and the kids get to play together and do activities. I'm a bit hesitant to go at all...I want to have some other social outlets, but then I get lazy and think I'd rather just go home and veg out (or sew)...it's from 6pm-7:45pm. I think I need to give it at least ONE chance and see what happens...but if they get all crazy-preachy on me, we won't be returning. Has anyone else ever belonged to one of these outfits? Thoughts?
~i'm slightly bummed at yesterdays WW results...only lost 1/2 pound...how does that happen? I had a stomach virus on Wednesday which resulted in major pukage and the lack of desire to eat for the next day and a half and then still a lack of appetite at present...the way I see it is my body sort of shut down on me...and held on to what was left inside...i didn't even consume my full daily allotment of WW points since pre-Wednesday and well, that NEVER happens...regardless of all that, my total loss is 14.2lbs since November 9...so 8 weeks. I'm pretty happy with that and my goal for next week is .8 lbs so I can hit the 15lb mark! Hooray!!
~it was all sort of in the air as to WHO was going with me, if anyone. once reality hit me in the face (hard) and I concluded that O is not capable (or willing) to be at home alone OVERNIGHT with E, that left me NO choice but to take E with me...which is perfectly fine with me...except then SOMEONE else needs to come along to watch him during the race. I was hoping my mom's husband would grant her "permission" to go or worse case scenario, she would offer to keep E at her house while I went alone...well, I'm so excited that mom, me and E are all traveling to Orlando in March! Hooray!!
~pretty excited to have a mom and daughter trip that is long overdue, and with the little man in tow it will make be that much MORE fun, especially at WDW. So So So excited!!
~mom even offered to drive, which would be awesome as it would keep the cost MUCH lower and adds the lovely component of flexibility with having our own vehicle down there.
~one hitch...i have only reserved the hotel for TWO nights, now we need more nights. hopefully there is availability one night prior and 1-2 nights post-race. mom will call to find out for me since I can't (shouldn't) call long distance from work. (why doesn't Disney have a 1-800 for these things???)
~we did look at Allegiant Air as they fly direct from TYS to MCO but I think we both agree we'd rather drive, for above mentioned reasons, although in the future, Allegiant has direct and CHEAP flights to MCO...like weekend-getaway cheap!!! Hi Dawn!
~i was craving red velvet cake last night. O said he'd go get some for me. he lied. now i'm a PMSing, sweet-craving-bitch. yay me.
~i sewed a cute little potholder last night. i decided that it looked better w/o the quilting. now i'm sad. it stinks when you only have time to sew a small item & then it doesn't turn out to your liking. just saying. i wonder if I'll EVER get good enough to sell anything I make. it seems things start out looking good and inevitably i ruin them somehow.
~i don't care for my 1st quilt as much as initially did. cannot wait to get quilt #2 finished because I think I'll like it much better. I'm thinking that I will put quilt #3 in my Etsy shop once it's completed (as long as I don't ruin it). Quilt #4 has been a bit of a thorn in my side....due to a drastic cutting error i made after enjoying a nice long day of sewing on Saturday. I spent 1/2 of Sunday making the repairs and it should turn out ok in the end...i hope.
~finishing all of these quilts is on hold because i'm in need of batting (for the inside) as well as fabric for the backs of #3 and #4....
~on the bright side, i did somewhat successfully manage to make a pincushion a few days ago.
~on Thursday I begin my Practicum at a local high school. i will be working with the freshmen students and also working with a former fellow classmate...she didn't take 1.5 yrs off of school (to have a baby) like I did, so she's graduated and has been working almost 2 years now. I will be working at the high school all day on Thursdays and 1/2 the day on Fridays for the semester.
~when I finish this semester, I will only have my Internship left to complete...while that sounds like I'm nearly done...sadly, it will take me another FULL school year to complete since I cannot do Internship over the Summer as there is NO (public) school in session over the Summer. :(
~there actually is one school district that is in session the full year. i'm going to inquire about possibly doing my first 1/2 of Internship there over the Summer, but I'm pretty sure it's not an option as I don't believe the university works with said school district or even offers internship over the Summer...i figure it's worth asking about though.
~since I'm pretty sure I want to work in an elementary school once I finish this long-drawn-out-masters-degree, that is where I will do my internship in order to gain the most experience at the age/grade level that I eventually hope to work in. :)
~i'm considering joining a local MOPS group (Moms of PreSchoolers)...another girl in the office belongs to one and while they are typically hosted at churches (this IS the Bible Belt after all)...the level of "preaching" varies at each location...so the next meeting is this Thursday and I can take E with me and the kids get to play together and do activities. I'm a bit hesitant to go at all...I want to have some other social outlets, but then I get lazy and think I'd rather just go home and veg out (or sew)...it's from 6pm-7:45pm. I think I need to give it at least ONE chance and see what happens...but if they get all crazy-preachy on me, we won't be returning. Has anyone else ever belonged to one of these outfits? Thoughts?
~i'm slightly bummed at yesterdays WW results...only lost 1/2 pound...how does that happen? I had a stomach virus on Wednesday which resulted in major pukage and the lack of desire to eat for the next day and a half and then still a lack of appetite at present...the way I see it is my body sort of shut down on me...and held on to what was left inside...i didn't even consume my full daily allotment of WW points since pre-Wednesday and well, that NEVER happens...regardless of all that, my total loss is 14.2lbs since November 9...so 8 weeks. I'm pretty happy with that and my goal for next week is .8 lbs so I can hit the 15lb mark! Hooray!!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Mondays
~you may be shocked to know this but while I'm not a big fan of Mondays, they have not plagued me throughout life as being the awful day they are typically known to be.
~2010 is changing that. Today is my 2nd crappy Monday of 2010. I'm batting 1000 here...which in this case is NOT good.
~last Monday had multiple issues, thankfully none of which I can remember in detail now, but I do recall it being a particularly bad day.
~today...let's see...
~found out that my professor told me to buy the WRONG book for her class...that cost me $73 and now I'm stuck with trying to RE-sell it on-line (bought it used) and hoping I get my money back.
~discovered I need THREE books this semester...two for above mentioned class with above mentioned professor...oh and the most hysterical part...one of the books I actually DO need for this class...was written by HER!!!!!!!!!!!! Duh!! I will say that I was warned of her flakiness and I guess I'm seeing that already.
~i ordered the other book on-line and of course will not have it by Wednesday when classes start!!
~a couple wks ago I ordered some cute fabric to finish a quilt. well the fabric arrived but was not what it appeared and so I want to return (Etsy Seller). I was going to exchange it for other patterns 'til she told me she couldn't pay the shipping, so I'd have to pay BOTH the return shipping for what I have PLUS the shipping of the new product. I don't think so. Instead, I'll just return what I have and be done with her.
~2010 is changing that. Today is my 2nd crappy Monday of 2010. I'm batting 1000 here...which in this case is NOT good.
~last Monday had multiple issues, thankfully none of which I can remember in detail now, but I do recall it being a particularly bad day.
~today...let's see...
~found out that my professor told me to buy the WRONG book for her class...that cost me $73 and now I'm stuck with trying to RE-sell it on-line (bought it used) and hoping I get my money back.
~discovered I need THREE books this semester...two for above mentioned class with above mentioned professor...oh and the most hysterical part...one of the books I actually DO need for this class...was written by HER!!!!!!!!!!!! Duh!! I will say that I was warned of her flakiness and I guess I'm seeing that already.
~i ordered the other book on-line and of course will not have it by Wednesday when classes start!!
~a couple wks ago I ordered some cute fabric to finish a quilt. well the fabric arrived but was not what it appeared and so I want to return (Etsy Seller). I was going to exchange it for other patterns 'til she told me she couldn't pay the shipping, so I'd have to pay BOTH the return shipping for what I have PLUS the shipping of the new product. I don't think so. Instead, I'll just return what I have and be done with her.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
I Want Wednesday
Hard to believe there is still something I want with Christmas just being last week...but well...there is...
I want...
~for 2010 to pass by ever-so-quickly so that I can be that much closer to graduation and be done with this dreaded graduate assistantship. i cannot believe i've gotten to a point where i dread going to 'work' everyday...but i have. it is not fun, nor educational and i'm almost always bored. i'm also hoping to have a little luck with getting hired as a counselor mid-school year in the public school district here (in December 2010) to start in January and then I can quit the GA position and finish my internship concurrently (and get paid for it) hooray! please say a prayer for me on this one. i *really* need it to work out for me. desperate is an understatement.
~to be able to recover my TWO former blogs. i'd really like to read them now.
~a bunch of books STILL on my Amazon Wishlist because I didn't get a single one for Christmas this year...which is odd, because I usually do..it's such an easy place for people to shop.
~everything in my Etsy Favorites section...which sadly i can't seem to link here to show you, but let me tell you it's a bunch of super duper cute fabrics and maybe a piece of jewelry or two.
~for E to start sleeping in his own bed which will ultimately free up my "office" in the evenings and allow me to stay up late to blog, sew and/or scrapbook.
~for O to sign back up for the Nat'l Guard and get outta my hair for a (long) while.
~to finish restoring this old desk in my garage that was "handed down" to me a while ago...it will fit perfectly in my office & i plan to use it as my sewing table.
~a fun, part time job to work on Sundays, paying at least $10/hour...yeah, i know...probably asking for too much on this one, but if you think of something, please do let me know.
~FREE time.
I want...
~for 2010 to pass by ever-so-quickly so that I can be that much closer to graduation and be done with this dreaded graduate assistantship. i cannot believe i've gotten to a point where i dread going to 'work' everyday...but i have. it is not fun, nor educational and i'm almost always bored. i'm also hoping to have a little luck with getting hired as a counselor mid-school year in the public school district here (in December 2010) to start in January and then I can quit the GA position and finish my internship concurrently (and get paid for it) hooray! please say a prayer for me on this one. i *really* need it to work out for me. desperate is an understatement.
~to be able to recover my TWO former blogs. i'd really like to read them now.
~a bunch of books STILL on my Amazon Wishlist because I didn't get a single one for Christmas this year...which is odd, because I usually do..it's such an easy place for people to shop.
~everything in my Etsy Favorites section...which sadly i can't seem to link here to show you, but let me tell you it's a bunch of super duper cute fabrics and maybe a piece of jewelry or two.
~for E to start sleeping in his own bed which will ultimately free up my "office" in the evenings and allow me to stay up late to blog, sew and/or scrapbook.
~for O to sign back up for the Nat'l Guard and get outta my hair for a (long) while.
~to finish restoring this old desk in my garage that was "handed down" to me a while ago...it will fit perfectly in my office & i plan to use it as my sewing table.
~a fun, part time job to work on Sundays, paying at least $10/hour...yeah, i know...probably asking for too much on this one, but if you think of something, please do let me know.
~FREE time.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
2009 in review
I swiped this from Dawn's Blog...go check out her 2009 in review!!
1. What did you do in 2009 that you have never done before?
sew a quilt.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for 2010?
i don't make resolutions, although I probably intended to lose the baby weight, but didn't get truly started on that until November when I signed up for WW. This year I just made a "to-do" list. no resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth in 2009?
nope
4. Did anyone close to you die in 2009?
thankfully, no. my family in TINY so ANYONE who dies, is CLOSE to me.
5. What countries did you visit this year?
(unfortunately) I was confined to the U.S. all year.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
i would probably sound like an awful person if I answered this truthfully and so I will refrain, but believe me when I say the list is long...lacking a lot in 2009.
7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Feb 8, 2009 - Ethan's 1st Birthday - with cake ALL OVER HIM!
8. What was your biggest struggle in 2009?
similar to #6...way too many to list, but one that I can post would be making the decision to return to graduate school which resulted in an uber-low income and significant financial strain.
9. Did you suffer any illness or injury in 2009?
a heck of a cold...shortly after E started daycare. coincidence? i think not.
10. What was the best thing you bought this year?
pffft! bought!! ha!! nothing that would qualify as "best"!
11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
my friend, Dawn. always there to listen to me when i need a safe place to vent. thank you sooooo much! you don't realize how much I appreciate it.
12. Whose behavior disappointed you?
if you've been reading for any time at all, you should know the answer to this one!
13. Where did most of your money go?
paying the bills.
14. What did you get really really excited about this year?
going to TX after Christmas.
15. What song will always remind you of 2009?
"do you wish it was me" by Jason Aldean
16. Compared to this time last year, are you: much happier, much nicer or richer?
um...sadly, but speaking honestly, none of the above.
17. What do you wish you had done more of?
travel. taking pictures. sleeping.
18. What do you wish you had done less of?
feel frustrated/angry.
19. Did you fall in love in 2009?
most definitely not.
20. What was your favorite TV Program in 2009?
Grey's Anatomy. no time to watch much more than that. it's the only show I will faithfully commit to.
21. What was the best book you read this year?
The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano...absolutely loved it. Rarely do I read a book and feel so strongly about it.
22. What was your greatest musical discovery this past year?
I really liked Gomez's song "See the World" when I heard it, but now I'm sick of it.
23. What did you want and get?
i will keep thinking about this one, but I'm pretty sure the answer is NOTHING.
24. What was the best movie you saw this year?
very few to choose from...but I liked "UP"
25. What did you do on your birthday and how old did you turn?
i turned 38. O, E and I went to my mom's house and she cooked burgers & chicken. mom's husband was out of town. i also realized this is the 3rd consecutive birthday of mine that he has missed...and really, that's ok with me.
26. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying?
a more comfortable financial situation would have decreased moodiness within the 4 walls of my home making it a slightly better place to be. emphasis on "slightly"
27. How would you describe your personal fashion statement this year?
if it fits, wear it.
28. What kept you sane this year?
Dawn. Twitter. My Blog.
29. What celebrity did you fancy the most?
I'm still hung up on Chris Noth AKA Mr. Big.
30. Who did you miss this past year?
2 people: my maternal grandparents.
31. Who were the best new people you met this year?
my fellow GA in the office. she is wonderful.
32. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year:
I LOVE Dawn's answer--->you can't control what happens around you or to you, but you *can* decide how you will react to it. but the problem for me is that I seem to always decide to get mad/sad/angry/frustrated!
1. What did you do in 2009 that you have never done before?
sew a quilt.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for 2010?
i don't make resolutions, although I probably intended to lose the baby weight, but didn't get truly started on that until November when I signed up for WW. This year I just made a "to-do" list. no resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth in 2009?
nope
4. Did anyone close to you die in 2009?
thankfully, no. my family in TINY so ANYONE who dies, is CLOSE to me.
5. What countries did you visit this year?
(unfortunately) I was confined to the U.S. all year.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
i would probably sound like an awful person if I answered this truthfully and so I will refrain, but believe me when I say the list is long...lacking a lot in 2009.
7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Feb 8, 2009 - Ethan's 1st Birthday - with cake ALL OVER HIM!
8. What was your biggest struggle in 2009?
similar to #6...way too many to list, but one that I can post would be making the decision to return to graduate school which resulted in an uber-low income and significant financial strain.
9. Did you suffer any illness or injury in 2009?
a heck of a cold...shortly after E started daycare. coincidence? i think not.
10. What was the best thing you bought this year?
pffft! bought!! ha!! nothing that would qualify as "best"!
11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
my friend, Dawn. always there to listen to me when i need a safe place to vent. thank you sooooo much! you don't realize how much I appreciate it.
12. Whose behavior disappointed you?
if you've been reading for any time at all, you should know the answer to this one!
13. Where did most of your money go?
paying the bills.
14. What did you get really really excited about this year?
going to TX after Christmas.
15. What song will always remind you of 2009?
"do you wish it was me" by Jason Aldean
16. Compared to this time last year, are you: much happier, much nicer or richer?
um...sadly, but speaking honestly, none of the above.
17. What do you wish you had done more of?
travel. taking pictures. sleeping.
18. What do you wish you had done less of?
feel frustrated/angry.
19. Did you fall in love in 2009?
most definitely not.
20. What was your favorite TV Program in 2009?
Grey's Anatomy. no time to watch much more than that. it's the only show I will faithfully commit to.
21. What was the best book you read this year?
The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano...absolutely loved it. Rarely do I read a book and feel so strongly about it.
22. What was your greatest musical discovery this past year?
I really liked Gomez's song "See the World" when I heard it, but now I'm sick of it.
23. What did you want and get?
i will keep thinking about this one, but I'm pretty sure the answer is NOTHING.
24. What was the best movie you saw this year?
very few to choose from...but I liked "UP"
25. What did you do on your birthday and how old did you turn?
i turned 38. O, E and I went to my mom's house and she cooked burgers & chicken. mom's husband was out of town. i also realized this is the 3rd consecutive birthday of mine that he has missed...and really, that's ok with me.
26. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying?
a more comfortable financial situation would have decreased moodiness within the 4 walls of my home making it a slightly better place to be. emphasis on "slightly"
27. How would you describe your personal fashion statement this year?
if it fits, wear it.
28. What kept you sane this year?
Dawn. Twitter. My Blog.
29. What celebrity did you fancy the most?
I'm still hung up on Chris Noth AKA Mr. Big.
30. Who did you miss this past year?
2 people: my maternal grandparents.
31. Who were the best new people you met this year?
my fellow GA in the office. she is wonderful.
32. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year:
I LOVE Dawn's answer--->you can't control what happens around you or to you, but you *can* decide how you will react to it. but the problem for me is that I seem to always decide to get mad/sad/angry/frustrated!
Monday, January 04, 2010
Vacation Recap
~I've been trying to come up with something to blog about...you know, just feeling that "blog-bug" but have NOTHING to write about...well, nothing interesting anyway...so with all that said, I will post a vacation recap about my trip to TX with E which includes his first plane ride!!
~We departed on 12.26 and after taking 10 minutes to get through security and being nearly naked, we proceeded onto the gate where I did NOT hear them call for "those with children" to board early, so we got on as quickly as possible. 1st dilemma: how do you fold up a stroller & valet check it, while maintaining your carry on bag and preventing a 22 month old from running off? Yeah, nearly impossible! Thank you to the man boarding behind me who made sure E didn't take off. Phew! Dilemma averted.
~The dinky-a$$ plane that goes from my stupid city to DFW has only 1 seat on one side and 2 on the other...yeah it's THAT small! So I was hoping for the one seat side but as my (shit) luck would have it, we were assigned to the 2 seat side. oh joy! Upon arrival to Row 14, I discovered that the wife was in the 2 seat side and her husband was in the 1 seat side. SCORE!! They agreed to switch with me and E and I got all settled in on the 1 seat side (he was a lap-child on the flight, which means he flies FREE...the only good thing about airlines these days). We begin reading about Mickey Mouses's Christmas and Diego's Rescue Adventures when the nastiest flight attendant to ever live came by to say that the little guy cannot be on the 1 seat side because there is only 1 mask on that side, while there are 3 masks on the 2 seat side. Shit! Who knew!?!? (learn something new everyday) So the musical chairs, bags, books and child begins again...phew, what a royal pain and bullets of sweat are nearly pouring off of me by this time. E and I are relocated to the window seat of Row 14 on the 2 seat side next to the wife...who was wonderful throughout the flight. Thankfully E wasn't too bad himself and I did NOT win the award for having the "worst child on the plane" Hooray!!
~After arriving in DFW and racing off the plane at lightning speed, we went promptly to the bathroom. More for me than E. Let me warn ALL moms or future moms...don't drink ANYTHING, not even a drop, for at least 2-3 hours before flying ALONE with your child, because there is NO way in hell you are using an airplane bathroom while tending to your toddler. It just ain't happening. Oh and I typically don't use them anyway. I was pleasantly surprised to find the most fantastic Family Restroom ever...they are the best. I peed. Ahhh! Then I changed E's diaper. Ahhh! We were both much happier now! On to the baggage claim where my bag promptly arrived and I happily greeted my aunt and my 17 yo cousin.
~Did I mention that E did NOT sleep a wink on the flight? Yep, the flight was EXACTLY during his nap time but there was WAY too much excitement for him so there was no way he was napping. He was OUT after only 5 minutes in the car. Hooray!! On we went to see my uncle at his work where they were having a smorgasbord of food to draw in customers (he works @ an Audi dealership)...we had free brunch!! Yay!! From there we proceeded to Target, Market Street and later to Fadi's for dinner, the best Middle Eastern food ever!! Yum!!
~The following days were filled with shopping trips with my aunt, which are ALWAYS fun, having lunch at Mi Cocina with 2 gals I worked with back in 1997-2000, a bloggy meet-up and lunch at Chipotle with Andie and a meet-up with another friend, that I can't tell you a thing about. :) In all, a great trip and I really could have used a few more days as there were other friends I wanted to meet up with but ran out of time. Having not rented a car made the logistics of such meet ups a bit of a challenge as I did not want my aunt to feel like a chauffeur for the week.
~I had not been back to DFW since March 2007 and well, being there this time just made me want to move back ASAP. There's just something about it...I love it there, even though every single day of my four years living there were not rosy or wonderful, many of them were and I simply love the area and the feelings that I have when I'm there. It just feels "right". Hopefully I'll get back in June for my cousin's high school graduation. :)
~We flew back on 12.31 and while I was hoping for an overbooked flight and the chance for a free ticket and to stay in DFW another day or so, it didn't happen. Also, when I remembered that once you check your bags, you can't get them back, that pretty much eliminated the opportunity for staying anyway. Boo! The flight was not full, we had an empty seat next to us....finally some good luck because I'm pretty sure it was just about the only empty seat on the plane. With E being such an experienced flyer by now, he eventually grew bored and decided to nap for the LAST 15 minutes of the flight...ARGH!!! That's my boy....couldn't have done that early in the flight so I could have maybe read a book or done something besides look at Mickey Mouse and Diego...but all in all, it was a good trip and a nice man even offered to get my stroller out for me once we arrived back in Knoxville since I had a sleeping babe on my shoulder. He didn't offer to open it up for me, which would have been quite helpful, but I managed. As a mother, you learn to do a lot of things one-handed that you would normally do with two.
~We departed on 12.26 and after taking 10 minutes to get through security and being nearly naked, we proceeded onto the gate where I did NOT hear them call for "those with children" to board early, so we got on as quickly as possible. 1st dilemma: how do you fold up a stroller & valet check it, while maintaining your carry on bag and preventing a 22 month old from running off? Yeah, nearly impossible! Thank you to the man boarding behind me who made sure E didn't take off. Phew! Dilemma averted.
~The dinky-a$$ plane that goes from my stupid city to DFW has only 1 seat on one side and 2 on the other...yeah it's THAT small! So I was hoping for the one seat side but as my (shit) luck would have it, we were assigned to the 2 seat side. oh joy! Upon arrival to Row 14, I discovered that the wife was in the 2 seat side and her husband was in the 1 seat side. SCORE!! They agreed to switch with me and E and I got all settled in on the 1 seat side (he was a lap-child on the flight, which means he flies FREE...the only good thing about airlines these days). We begin reading about Mickey Mouses's Christmas and Diego's Rescue Adventures when the nastiest flight attendant to ever live came by to say that the little guy cannot be on the 1 seat side because there is only 1 mask on that side, while there are 3 masks on the 2 seat side. Shit! Who knew!?!? (learn something new everyday) So the musical chairs, bags, books and child begins again...phew, what a royal pain and bullets of sweat are nearly pouring off of me by this time. E and I are relocated to the window seat of Row 14 on the 2 seat side next to the wife...who was wonderful throughout the flight. Thankfully E wasn't too bad himself and I did NOT win the award for having the "worst child on the plane" Hooray!!
~After arriving in DFW and racing off the plane at lightning speed, we went promptly to the bathroom. More for me than E. Let me warn ALL moms or future moms...don't drink ANYTHING, not even a drop, for at least 2-3 hours before flying ALONE with your child, because there is NO way in hell you are using an airplane bathroom while tending to your toddler. It just ain't happening. Oh and I typically don't use them anyway. I was pleasantly surprised to find the most fantastic Family Restroom ever...they are the best. I peed. Ahhh! Then I changed E's diaper. Ahhh! We were both much happier now! On to the baggage claim where my bag promptly arrived and I happily greeted my aunt and my 17 yo cousin.
~Did I mention that E did NOT sleep a wink on the flight? Yep, the flight was EXACTLY during his nap time but there was WAY too much excitement for him so there was no way he was napping. He was OUT after only 5 minutes in the car. Hooray!! On we went to see my uncle at his work where they were having a smorgasbord of food to draw in customers (he works @ an Audi dealership)...we had free brunch!! Yay!! From there we proceeded to Target, Market Street and later to Fadi's for dinner, the best Middle Eastern food ever!! Yum!!
~The following days were filled with shopping trips with my aunt, which are ALWAYS fun, having lunch at Mi Cocina with 2 gals I worked with back in 1997-2000, a bloggy meet-up and lunch at Chipotle with Andie and a meet-up with another friend, that I can't tell you a thing about. :) In all, a great trip and I really could have used a few more days as there were other friends I wanted to meet up with but ran out of time. Having not rented a car made the logistics of such meet ups a bit of a challenge as I did not want my aunt to feel like a chauffeur for the week.
~I had not been back to DFW since March 2007 and well, being there this time just made me want to move back ASAP. There's just something about it...I love it there, even though every single day of my four years living there were not rosy or wonderful, many of them were and I simply love the area and the feelings that I have when I'm there. It just feels "right". Hopefully I'll get back in June for my cousin's high school graduation. :)
~We flew back on 12.31 and while I was hoping for an overbooked flight and the chance for a free ticket and to stay in DFW another day or so, it didn't happen. Also, when I remembered that once you check your bags, you can't get them back, that pretty much eliminated the opportunity for staying anyway. Boo! The flight was not full, we had an empty seat next to us....finally some good luck because I'm pretty sure it was just about the only empty seat on the plane. With E being such an experienced flyer by now, he eventually grew bored and decided to nap for the LAST 15 minutes of the flight...ARGH!!! That's my boy....couldn't have done that early in the flight so I could have maybe read a book or done something besides look at Mickey Mouse and Diego...but all in all, it was a good trip and a nice man even offered to get my stroller out for me once we arrived back in Knoxville since I had a sleeping babe on my shoulder. He didn't offer to open it up for me, which would have been quite helpful, but I managed. As a mother, you learn to do a lot of things one-handed that you would normally do with two.
Friday, January 01, 2010
2010 To Do List
~there is no sense in making a Resolutions list, because let's face it, I NEVER accomplish them and have quit making resolutions for years now. besides, the only one I could come up with right now would be to lose weight and I started that back in November anyway!!
~So a few things I would like to do in 2010 are...
~run the WDW Princess Half Marathon with a respectable time & not come in last place.
~travel home to Michigan to visit friends.
~travel to Chicago for fun (and meet Em?!?!) - I miss that place...big time!!
~feel happier...although I have no idea how I'll accomplish that one ("fake it, til ya' make it")???
~have a sense of hopefulness.
~learn to free-motion quilt.
~find a (legal) and respectable way to earn a little extra income, like maybe via Etsy or something....
~lose an additional 20 pounds.
~have increased self confidence.
~travel back to DFW in June for my cousin/godson's high school graduation.
~So a few things I would like to do in 2010 are...
~run the WDW Princess Half Marathon with a respectable time & not come in last place.
~travel home to Michigan to visit friends.
~travel to Chicago for fun (and meet Em?!?!) - I miss that place...big time!!
~feel happier...although I have no idea how I'll accomplish that one ("fake it, til ya' make it")???
~have a sense of hopefulness.
~learn to free-motion quilt.
~find a (legal) and respectable way to earn a little extra income, like maybe via Etsy or something....
~lose an additional 20 pounds.
~have increased self confidence.
~travel back to DFW in June for my cousin/godson's high school graduation.
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