Sign For Sale--Cheap, Real Cheap

Because I saw where not proofreading your work, thereby allowing grammar and spelling errors through, made some people cringe, I actually tried to slow down and not publish until I had edited my work to pieces, so here's to what I hope is an easier read.

In my sophomore year of high school, we had to give speeches. One topic we were to prepare and present a speech for was "Pet Peeves". Mine, at that time, was the penny. I felt that it could be eliminated and everything could just work from the nickle on up. Another guy reported on his pet peeve he'd inherited from his aunt which were the two pieces of bread at each end of a loaf of bread. He wanted them gone and found them to be annoying. He did however provide a creative solution in that he had a sibling that love that piece of bread and so he'd decided that his solution was located in the four walls of his very own home. Another guy, who was too cool for school and probably too old for high school, said his pet peeve was guys who flirted with his girlfriend. He got so mad when he was talking about it that he cussed and the teacher made him sit down. I think he ended with something cheesey from his seat in the back of the room like, "Don't Get Down With O.P.P.". Since those dear old days of censorship and miniscule pet peeves, I found I have one lurking in my own mind greater in value than the penny from seventeen years ago. I'll start from my now thought and back up to my new thought. Bear with me. The path begins in my very own car. Go ahead, hop in the passenger's side. Let me take you through it and to it.

Oh, hasn't the weather been lovely? Driving over Dug Gap Mountain every morning provides me with a lot of "mindless" time. Funny as it seems, at one time, I really missed having "mindless" time. That would have been the time when I lived about 3 minutes from my job. Now, I'm about 15 or 20 minutes from my job. That time is partially because of the "Red Light Parade". In Dalton, that means that you are on a five lane road with a stop light that turns red before you get to it--and that happens every 100 yards or so. Your destination that was only about ten miles away turns into a twenty minute stop and go scenerio. So, that mindless time is what I define as time where I can't multitask, a time where I don't have time to be mindless, but am forced to. On that journey around the curves, up the various inclines, through patches of fog I've come to know better than my way to the bathroom from my bed in the deep night.......I think about random things that I wouldn't even call thinking about, but just noticing the whim of a thought. Yesterday's little nuance of a thought was about this picture that I chose, purchased and have had hanging in our guestroom for a couple of years now. See it. It's right there, the colorful little thing on the plain old wall. My guest room gets no attention.

As I topped the mountain, I almost audibly questioned myself, "WHAT IN THE HECK IS THAT DOING HANGING IN A HOUSE I LIVE IN?" I then emphatically told myself that the thing hanging in that room went against everything I was really about. It states nothing I believe. The colors are okay. I really like the shiney glitter, curvey writing, and mix of fonts, but THE WORDS....oh, no. Oh, my, oh, no. They don't define anything about me. The words aren't even something I aspire for. Here's the picture upclose and personal:

Now, if they describe you to a tee than that's great. I'm glad for you. Honestly, your personality type would be exactly opposite of mine and if I had to work with you on something, you'd probably drive me batty. Equally true, I'd proabably drive you batty, too.

Here's why it's all wrong for me and mi casa:

Work --Like You Don't Need The Money: OMG. NEVER. I work like, well, not like I don't need the money. As a matter of fact, working like you don't need the money leads those of us like me who need the money and work like they do to work on your behalf WHICH ERKS THE HECK OUT OF ME! Okay, so that slipped through my mind as I drove over the mountain. As a matter of fact, I'd like to repaint that ridiculous, cutesy thing to say: "If you work like you don't need the money, you're hanging out. So, sign out and go home if you don't need the money." I bet I couldn't get all the cutesy fonts to say that. No one would buy it.

Love--Like You've Never Been Hurt: I will NEVER love like I've never been hurt. That, to me, is a sure fire way to get your tail burnt. Nope. Not this chick. I'll tell you how I'll love. I'll love like I've been hurt and your butt's lucky to still live to tell about it. (That is not just about my husband. We are happy and fine.) Sorry, it's the truth. That was so bad wasn't it. It's true though. I'm not down with loving like I've never been hurt. I've been stinkin' hurt, it's going to affect how I choose to love AND it's not going to be like I haven't.

Dance--Like No One Is Watching: bahahahahaaaaahaha. If you are dancing, you better bet somebody is watching. Maybe you should sing and only if no one is listening. That's what I'd do. The dancing--I'm not good at it, never have been, never will be. Here's how I'd repaint that: Dance--If You Can, Pick the songs if you can't.

What would have possessed me to buy that? Was it cheap? Was it the colors? Have I changed into a lesser of a carefree person? I suppose I'll think on that tomorrow as I pick up where I left off in the "Red Light Parade". Don't slam my door on your way out............:)

Not 25 Random Things, But Sorta

So, those are some random pics snagged from my old cellphone (that I'm secretly in love with). It's like visiting a broken toy and being tortured because you got something newer (IPhone), but you still love the old faithful (SmartPhone). Anyway....here's the rest of my randomness:
So Stinkin' Cute

(Wearing Her Choice Of PJ's which aren't matched and really don't fit.) She always says, "No, dont' read it, I make up my own stories, they're better.

The Love Of Our Lives

(& Libby, just kidding, we do like Ben and Jerry's, but we LOVE Libby). Passersby wanted to sit on the concrete couch to eat their ice cream, but passed it up as she screamed, "No. Miiine. My Sopa. You go down 'der wit' my daddy, sit on 'dat one."

A Cool Rainbow I Saw At Target A Few Weeks Ago

I'll tell you what I wish I had a picture of. Steven and I at the doctor's office on Wednesday. He called Wednesday morning because I had whimpered all night with my fever and achy body pains. I don't go to the doctor unless I absolutely HAVE to. He's the opposite. He goes no matter what. He's all about prevention and I'm about reaction. It was 8:30 and he told them he wanted me seen at 9. From Rocky Face, he was charted to take Libby to my sister. Libby, who was still in pajamas and doing her morning list of demands. How he was to get me to the doctor that quickley when my state was difficult because I couldn't open my eyes for my contacts and wouldn't wear my glasses because they hurt my face, I had on half a set of pajamas and my hair was in a gross top of the head rubber band. Here we were in another medical panic attack and 20 minutes from doctor time. He tells me to go get dressed and I can't believe what I wore, but it completely defined how I felt and behaved at the doctor's office. I wore my oldest jeans and a school hoodie. I left the hoodie over my head. I had on my New Balance slips ons. If you know fashion conscious me, you KNOW I wasn't feeling well by that outfit. He dropped me off in front of the office and left to take Libby back to my sister. I have no idea why she didn't just meet us to get her, but you never want to question a conversation between Sanna and Steven because as Steven says, "it's like trying to understand infinity and is impossible". Anyway, I get in the elevator and can't remember much but I refused to let anyone press the 2 because I knew I needed 3 and didn't want to wait for it to stop at 2. It was all I could do not to slide down the wall of the elevator and lay there while it went up. I get off the elevator knowing people thought I acted and looked ridiculous but I was hurtin' and panicing. When I got in the waiting room, I signed my name as "M B Cigna hurry". I slouched over to a chair, made my purse a pillow and whimpered. It was about 2 seconds and they called me back. Hmm. Wonder why? When I saw they were gonna weigh me, I broke into the blubber cry and stringed out "IwasjustherelikeamonthagocomeonnotthisstopiwannalaydownNOW." I mosied myself and my unabomber outfit (or *RIP* Thelma Dobbins outfit) in the first open room and rolled myself up in the table paper. I was cold. Every question she asked, I responded, "ouch". She finally rolled her lips in and said, "Do you have ANYONE with you?" I said something that resembled nothing and didn't require me to part my lips. She wanted to take my blood pressure, pulse, etc. I said finally as audibly as I could, "swab my frickin throat, flu swab my nose and let's get this show on the road. I'M HURTIN'. Then of course all those tests, a roll of table paper, a chest xray that sent me into the next realm of panic, and a diagnosis of bacteria with an outrageous pulse, two hours had passed and Steven had been there about an hour and a half of it. He doesn't talk. He just looks and shakes his head like he's trying to see if reasoning with me is even safe. He did laugh when I gagged and cried after the throat swab I demanded. Don't you wish a picture would have been here of that mess. No...you really don't. It took a staff of people to deal with me and my throat infection? I usually have a very high pain tolerance. Seriously, I didn't cuss, cry or scream during my child's birth. I didn't even have an epidural until the very end. Didn't cry, cuss or scream. So, what was the deal with my major episode? Hmm. I don't know.

Here are the directions I got, actually on Facebook. I never replied to the "25 Random Things About Me" meme because I figured, that's all I blog about is the randomness of me, but here goes a similar one. Oh, yeah, in typical "Phillips" fashion, I only followed the directions in a modified manner because I didn't tag nor copy anyone, and sometimes/most of the time, I went ahead and typed more than one word answers because I could because I couldn't capture the truest essence of my smartbutt, yet truthful author's voice. :)


Directions:
Type only ONE word answers. It's harder than you think!! Here is what you are supposed to do...and please don't spoil the fun...copy and paste into your own note, type in your answers and tag a bunch of people - including me.


Where is your cell phone?.....That's exactly what I was wondering.



Your hair? .........Thank-you-Brenda-Blonde! In the summer.....trashy blonde. LOL



Your father? ........Hmmm? Creative. I've prayed so hard and so diligently for him for so long that is a real area of questioning for me with my faith thing.



Your mother? .........He he heee? I'm scared she'll get me if I say what I think. So, here's my second thought, she's very funny. I LOVE her sense of humor, but I don't that side of her often enough because she stays pretty stressed out.



Your favorite thing? ...........my Target purple and black shoes



Your dream last night?....I don't sleep long enough to dream.



Your favorite drink? ...........virgin strawberry daquiri



Your dream/goal? ........... contentment



Your favorite team........Team Meleia (not a sports fan, but married to someone who loves sports enough for both of us)



The room you are in? .....Bonus Room



Your fear? ........bad news



Where do you want to be in 6 years?.....whereever I'm supposed to be, hopefully right here



Muffins? .............blueberry cheesecake



One of your wish list items?.........another Coach purse



Where you grew up? ........Dalton/Chattanooga



The last thing you did? .......rescheduled some appointments



What are you wearing?.......black and grey leopard dress and leggings (one word couldn't do this outfit any justice) ha haa. I didn't have to iron it.



Your TV?...........DVR'd "The View"



Your pets? .........pfff, the neighbor's have dogs that bark at my bedroom window incessantly, so I'll say I've had the best pet contreception since I've moved in, I struggle with the fact that I don't love my neighbor like I should, inconsiderate people WEAR me out in about 2 seconds, NO PETS--yay



Your computer? ......IPhone and Dell laptop, oh yeah there's a Dell desktop at our house that I only use to make stationary



Your life? .........it's better than I deserve



Your mood? ........tenative, reluctant

TTFN and sorry for exposing you to a bunch of randomness.

Sympathy Not Required

Oh, where to even begin? It's like I'm finding myself to be less interested in writing about "Life With Libby" or "Life With Meleia". It's cyclical and cynical in nature. She whines, I find myself with an inner voice that is somewhat on the whiney side of life, too. I get blah about something and then find myself behaving like an ingrate. Case in point:

1). I think I'm coming down with something. I don't want to tell McDaDa because he'll say, "*call in something". *Say those quotes in your best Steven voice* That will lead to me sitting for hours in Mae Johnson's office around things only a third world country could produce cough wise. I think I'll continue the secret slip of the Airborne and water.

2). I went to the eye doctor today, which is probably where I got exposed to something horrid that I'm in progress of catching. Actually, let me backtrack. I made an appointment back in December with the eye doctor I've been going to for 14 years. It was a two month wait. Worse than that of a local dental cleaning. Anyway, I even worked at that eye doctor in college. I got a message on Sunday (?!) that a family emergency occurred and they didn't know when he'd be back. Of course, I suddenly flash forward to the possibility of an upcoming "Dateline" where a sketchy optometrist.....My mind can really get me worked up. Well, to go back a few years ago....I decided not to go to Chattanooga to him and to go local. I got tangled up with some psycho young doctor who said I needed special tests because something must be behind my eye pushing on it. That sent me in to a medical panic attack. Me and panic attacks go way back. So, I get to the new doctor today with Libby in tow. Think 'Erin Brockovich' minus the trampy clothes and skinniness. I can't get anything done trying to manage her. I felt like I'd been shook the entire exam because not only was I in my panic attack mode, but she was trying everything she could to drive me off the edge of the partial sanity to which I was hanging. I had to whisper the story of 3 Bears while telling if "1 is better than 2 and what about 5 and 6".....Anyway, I found out I was wearing a contact on my right eye that was twice the prescription I really needed. Only in Meleia Land would you walk around half blind and not even notice your headache and bumping into things because "Life With Libby" is so intense. --Keep opinionated thoughts that I'd normally post here to preserve what's left of partial relationships.--

3). I'm on Winter Break which translates to Teacher Doctor Appointment Week. Tomorrow I have a dental cleaning. It should feel great with a sore throat. If I reschedule, I can get a cleaning in 15 months. I'll suffer through a strep cleaning as to wait that long and then be griped at for the condition of my teeth.

4). Valentine's Day Was: Cry.

Enough Said. Sympathy Not Required.

Things I Heart

People who don't work in a school LOVE to hear stories of things kids do. Since I've been in the school environment basically my whole life, kid happenings become someonewhat commonplace. There are a couple of stories, however, that I Heart:

1). This first snipit happens to many people who teach in the Hispanic population. A child wrote on her paper, "I Love Jesus". Ohhhhh, you have thoughts of heaven, harps and much more. However, it's Hay-sus.

2). Doing a character education/social studies lesson in my first grade class like eons ago: Me: Class, I want you to write a note to your friends around the world on the computer screen picture paper about peace and cooperation. Maria wrote, "You wanna peace of me? Then, cooperate."

So, those are a couple of stories I Heart. Of course, I also heart my faith, family and just about anything chocolate!

I'm writing this post at 5:52 a.m. That's lovely and just my style. I would need to get in the shower in 8 minutes. However, it just plagues me that I haven't blogged. Nothing has really interested me, so I've spared you "empty talk". I suppose you could look at it as no blog is a good blog?! Well, I'd be completely ignoring life if I didn't tell you things "I Heart" so that was today's post. Maybe the husband I Heart will change my background this time for me. I do not Heart the pastel snowflakes that seemed great at the time I chose them.

What's something you heart?

1 New Text Message

Boy. Don't cha' just love when you get the old "1 New Text Message" prompt on your cellphone? It's exhilarating, right? We won't even talk about the experience of having it say like "12 New Text Messages". There's not a flashing font available to capture the moment of that. Well, I was in conversation with another teacher this morning when I got the "1 New Text Message" signal on my phone. Seeing that it was from McDaDa (aka Steven), I knew it must be great. Besides a couple of friends, my mom, and my sister, my text messages decrease when school is in session. Not to mention, I NEVER get a text from McDaDa. So, what could this glorious occassion be that I, wife of ten years, mother of a baby born on his birthday, possibly have done to have earned the excitement of "1 New Text Message"? Jump up and down for me, this could be a turning point in my life. I almost couldn't even continue my conversation with my colleague because I just had to pause to check it. Oh, I couldn't hardly contain myself, I felt a smile of something great just coming across my curious face. The anticipation of posssibly a dinner invite, a good job on your diet, a get up so early and go-get-it attitude pat on the back....The flute medley was just a-startin'. Here's the message....brace yourself, oh if it had only had a picture for what could possibly be within this text:

1 NEW TEXT MESSAGE

from Steven

Jan 30, 2008 8:23 a.m.

LB has acted like absolute sh...t the last 2 am's and as far as I'm concerned doesn't deserve any privileges. She's always going to be a brat if we let her get by with it.

Quite possibly, Alec Baldwin could have just done the voice over for that one. If you have seen that, YouTube him screaming at his kid on the phone.

Now, now. Steven doesn't raise his voice, nor does he cuss.

So, the flute medley of promises to come subside and Bon Jovi's "Shock To The Heart" song suddenly take over. Gah. What's a girl to do with that?

Not just, sh...t, but "absolute sh...t". Is that like a number value that can't go negative because it's the absolute? And, how far is McDaDa concerned? Like does he have the vote of the common citizen or that of the electoral college? 'Cause at times, it sho' does seem like the United States of your Himness.

What more privileges can I take away from her? She basically just exists and is four. I won't even address the last line. What do we think about the LB part? Like did I need her initials to know he was ranting about the only other resident in the household.

I felt like my mom when she was at work and my sister and I would call her because we were in the middle of a knock-down drag-out. There was nothing she could do. She was at work. The fact that Sanna was chasing me in circles from the back deck through the house and locked me in my dad's room with the phone while she threatened my life just wasn't appealing enough for anyone to come to my rescue. Not to mention we were in Chattanooga at Dad's and she was at work---IN CALIFORNIA.

Oh, my. Let's see shall I sit on the edge of my seat awaiting the end of my Friday work day so that I could ref a fight with only one of the fighters? In this corner of the ring, weighing in at 42 pounds, we have LB. In the other corner.......he's at work, or possibly in the car, texting his wife. It's what I'd refer to as a therapuetic text.

I don't know what more to do. I've read and implemented SuperNanny toddler years' chapters, talked to the pediatrician, prayed, and I'm out of options. Oh, wait, (do your best mock my husband voice for this line), "As far as I'm concerned, no body deserves to co-exist in this house because they're acting like /absolute sh...t/".

You know, I used to wish for texts from him, maybe I didn't know what I was wishing for.

TTFN (TaTaForNow)

Let's Give 'Em Something To Blog About

I always took comfort that if something tragic should happen, the service workers won't be looking at your messy whatever (paramedic...undies, fireman....cleanliness, etc.). That's a lie. I'll tell you why that's a lie momentarily.

So, we went to dinner with Sanna and her husband's family in Chattavegas around 4 this afternoon.

When we returned home around 7, the minute I came in the door, I was like, "Steven! Come quick. There's a weird burnt smell and a haze."

Waited. Waited. Ticked off, but more than ticked, I was puzzled.

So, rather than go look for him, I decided to figure it out myself. OR. SO I. THOUGHT.

I told Libby to stay put at the kitchen door while I checked the house out. Needless to say, she didn't. She went on to the bathroom to, well, do #2. That means I couldn't beg, pay or bribe her to get out of the bathroom from the hour long ritual of handwashing, singing in the mirror, refolding the drying towels, etc.

Steven had gotten out of the car and instead of coming inside, he went outside to fix the exterior lighting timers. Ill that in life's toughest moments, I'm like a one legged man in a butt kicking contest, I go through the house downstairs, every room, every closet, upstairs, the same routine. I was freaking. For one reason, I'm a neat freak and didn't want anything to smell bad and two, the place could be burning down any minute.

I couldn't figure it out. I called my mom. She said to call the fire department. I tried to get Libby out of the bathroom so that we could locate Steven to get his take on things, but I couldn't get her out of the bathroom. At this point, I'm ticked at Steven, puzzled with the smell, and aggrevated with Libby. As my Granny would say, "PLLLLease. Somebody. Plllease. Jus' please."

I decided that it would be embarrassing for a firetruck to come with lights all on with sirens when we don't see actual smoke or have any reason to believe there is a fire. When Steven finally came inside, I said, "get a load of the overwhelming smell and not the one Libby probably produced in the the bathroom because she's been in there long enough to douse the place in Febreeze." He said, "yeah, it's bad under the house, too." I handed him the phone and said, "This is a you thing. I'm going to give Libby a bath. This shouldn't take both of us to remedy." I pried Libby from the bathroom and headed upstairs.

Upstairs, I shifted the laundry, and ran bath water. Steven comes up and says that the fire department wanted the house vacated due to the smell until they got there to check it out. Now, this vacate order comes from a man who, while employed by the local hospital, refuses to imposition perfect pregnant stranger women dragging IV's by the "No Smoking" sign smoking cigarettes in front of the hospital doors. He won't even tell them it's a smoke free campus or make them feel badly about the stinch they are subjecting others to, much less the health hazards they are posing. So, when he tells us to vacate the place........I just looked at him like....right. Well, he finally vacated us to the car and we moved out to the driveway so we could have the car running while we waited.

Not one, but 2 huge lights going, sirens sounding engines came and about 12 volunteer fire department cars/trucks with lights flashing came, too. Every one of the 10-15 men scoured our house inside and out about 10 times. They could smell it, but didn't see a haze. They questioned us and even Libby. Did we do anything out of the norm this afternoon, did Libby throw any toys up into the lights, etc.

They told us to remove all the Glade plug ins and not to use them. They told us not to leave the iron plugged up. However, they couldn't tell us what the smell was.

About the time they were wrapping things up, my sister shows up with her camera. She decided to request a photo op. I'm thinking, "My house could be about to blow up, I have been evacuated and you are getting Libby out of my car to get her and Kaylee's pictures with the fireman?!" Next thing you know, she'll be asking to honk the horn on the fire truck and take a station tour.

Okay, the part about "service workers don't comment on your mess." Whatev. They told us that the filters needed changing. I've been busy. They were last changed on December 9th. What's the smell, people?! So, tonight, I am here with a smell that I/we/they can only conclude is a skunk. Cry. Here's some pictures of a few of the nice fireman who may find themselves back over here at 2 am, compliments of my sister:

Right here.

Us: Liiiiibby. Look right here. Right here. Smiiile. Pleeease.
Her:

Why does she think smiling is that gesture something similar to Gilbert Godfrey's face?

Us: Liiiiiibby. Look at the camera. Come on. Right here. Look. Right here.

Why won't she look at the camera?

Finally!
Happy Thursday!

A Letter To My Body? From McLoser To Hot Mess

My sister recently said that because I was so high strung about things and clumsey that I was a "hot mess". I, of course, said that a "hot mess" is an oblivious someone who actually looks good while existing in a constant state of disarray. Therefore, I am not a "hot mess" because I don't look good, I'm organized and well aware of the state in which I operate. I finished with the fact that she needs to quit watching the show "Chelsea Lately" because she doesn't pay attention enough to completely gather the context in order to correctly apply latest lingo. She then called me a prude. I took it. I am.

So, what's with the McLoser title. If I am going to correct someone else about using the latest lingo, isn't "McLoser" an oxymoron? Before I go forward with the McLoser part, I have to back up to another moment which is entitled, "Letter To My Body". Gosh, I should make this post invitee only, but then who would I invite? No one ever comments. Ooooooo. Maybe no one reads this and I can totally nail the 'more than you wanted to know' tone.

Eeeiii---where the heck did all that come from? Back to my 5--readers that is.

Okay, so in the summer, I have no idea how I did it, but I stumbled upon a site that someone blogged an entry called, "Letter To My Body." I thought, "now there's a frickin letter I could rant all the way through". Then, I realized that if you don't like yourself, you won't really do something good for yourself. I decided I was in no frame of mind to write a letter to my body. (Not that the cyber world was waiting for it.) Now, being the observant chick I am, I could definitely write a letter to someone else's body, but not mine. Ugh. I would like to think I could fully embrace the title, "hot mess" and relish in a total "love letter" state of being with myself. But, no. Not me.

So, here's the thing, I read through the letters that these ladies had written to their bodies. They were so happy with their post pregnancy pouch because it reminded them of the blessing they had in a child. They loved their blah, blah and blah because blah, blah, blah. See, I go blurry when someone tries to remind me of the old, "Be thankful you have....you could be....". When you are as grouchy as me about your body, you don't want to be thankful. Somewhere, deep inside, you really just want to get mad enough to remedy the problem. But, again, you can't stay mad at yourself because you wouldn't do anything for someone you don't like, right? Well, I probably would because I am just retarded like that. But, let's stay in the moment and the "norm" area of the population when going along with my blanket assumptions.

So, here we are at McLoser. My wonderful colleagues have decided to do a "Biggest Loser" movement. I could care less about the winnings, hate competitions, but I'm in it. How could you look like this and not be in it? Ouch. That was a line from what a "letter to my body" might have said. I am deliberately making strides to watch what I eat and incorporate exercise because the one element that brings me into focus is the fact that four others on my McLoser team are counting on me to try. Oh, yeah, in my letter to my body, it would end with this" PS-Thank you Cigna for not paying for lapband for me. I'll see you at the heart attack table, EOB in hand.

There, I am a McLoser aimed for Hot Mess. We'll see.

24

Get your best Kiefer voice ready. Here goes:

5am-6am: Waking up-ish. Pray. Shower. Changed laundry over.
6am-7am: Complete Getting Ready. Change outfit because "Biggest Loser" hasn't started yet at school. Prepare Libby for departure.
7am-8am: Drive over the mountain from Westside to the Eastside to work. Mundane, but necessary morning duties.
8am-9am: Teach a computer class.
9am-10am: Meet with AP regarding curriculum. Assist a class and their teacher in lab.
10am-11am: Model lesson with a 2nd grade class.
11am-noon: ish. Leadership Team Lunch Meeting
Noon-1pm: Complete CRCT Family Night Preparations. Meet with teachers to strategize instructional methods for a certain group of kids.
1pm-2pm: Teach a computer class to 2nd grade kids. Devise a model lesson for a writing effort.
2pm-3pm: Meet with a teacher regarding a lesson coaching session. Dismissal. Team Meeting.
3pm-4pm: Team Meeting
4pm-5pm: Meet with teacher about student work and possibilities for next steps.
5pm-6pm: Supper with Steven and Libby
6pm-7pm: Played and read with Libby.
7pm-8pm: Coereced Libby through bath time.
8pm-9pm: Operation Bedtime for Libby. Laundry --major folding, putting away operation. Possibly sew a button.
9pm-10pm: Fed Facebook addiction.
10pm-11pm: Reviewed research literature from state department.
11pm-midnight: Update blog. Watch a couple DVR'd shows.
Midnight-3am: Pray. Sleep. Put Libby back to bed.
3am-5am: Sleep.
See first line for the next 24 hours. Only change the meeting at lunch to Raider Nation meeting.

Raise Your Hand

Raise your hand if you are ubba sick of my Christmas blog being left up for 900 years! My hand is up as I type. Not really, but the sentiment is so there.

We have been living it up this past few weeks, and not writing it up. Kind of a shame, huh?

Here are some pics to highlight what's been up. They are out of order, but at least they have descriptors.

If you'll notice the blog roll is missing.....when I change backgrounds, it leaves me having to update that to, so it will be uploaded asap.

Amy and Anna talking (not texting, actually talking!)

Libby got a guitar for Christmas and we LOVE it. Ha haaaa, it's pretty loud and has prerecorded things on it. She informed us that she wanted one with strings like the guy at church, but she guessed this one would do for now.

Chloe, Libby and PawPaw (Steven's Dad)

Chloe teaching Libby to use a DS. Maybe she'll teach us one day.

Christmas Eve Party at my house. Don't you just love the Alabama china?

Zach, Chloe and Libby

Three of the 4 nicest guys in the world. The fourth, Steven's dad, was probably wrangling kids. When Steven was little, he said he used to couldn't wait 'til he was older than his brothers.

Just Libby

Libby and I were set to decorate cookies for Santa. I bought the gingerbread mix, cookie cutters, a rolling pin, etc. I was so tired that I just let her ice and sprinkle cookies Steven's dad had made. She liked it.

I don't know.

We made toffee!

Libby at her Christmas program. She said she wore a square dress?

Libby's new big girl bed arrived.

The side profile of her new big girl bed.

Measuring for the bed. I have no clue why they measured, we had already bought and ordered it. This was 15 minutes before it was delivered.

More soon!

Ghetto FABulous

It's been a couple of weeks since I've updated the blog! It's always on my "Would Like To Get Done" mile long mental list, but I just don't sit down long enough to do it.

I love December. It's like finishing a big, long to-do list....just in the knick of time. This season has been especially meaningful because I've really wanted to do everything under the sun to really celebrate it.

We've taken Libby to see lots of lights, decorated our own house more than usual, gone to the "Tour of Homes", a band concert, a Christmas Cafe', had people over for dinner, office parties, Breakfast with Santa, and the list goes on. The only thing I haven't gotten to do that I really wanted to do, is to see "Rock City's City of Lights". Maybe next year, right?

After my sister and I went on the "Tour of Homes", we decided that there should be a "Middle Class Tour" along the lines of "Ghetto Fabulous" where you've done the decorating yourself, you're there to tell about it, you're still working outside the home on a daily basis, and you have some rooms that aren't viewable! Here's our house during the holidays, compared to the "Tour Homes", I think it's ghetto fabulous! :)

This is our house. I'd love to put more lights, but don't want to buy a ladder to do it.

This bookshelf just has winter items and things people have given or made us during past Christmases.

I took this picture of the Christmas card holder so early in the season, that there weren't many cards. Thanks to Anna, her card was first.

Our tree is done in candy and minature winter items.You gotta love the ghetto fabulous snowman that's turned around to show his "made in China" sticker". Straight outta Gatlinburg that snowman is!Our Dept Fifty Something tree. We have it in our kitchen. It's ornments are miniature and so cute.

I need thicker garland, but when you're ghetto fabulous, you just use what 'choo got.

These are a few of our favorite ornaments that I hung from the dining room light. I don't like the style of the light, so why not just jazz it up with some ornaments?


Yes, Libby....he's real.....have you been good?

This was the one of the funniest parenting moments ever. We went to "Breakfast with Santa" for Libby. For the past couple of years, she's gone into full meltdown mode and wouldn't have anything to do with Santa. This year, she was in a state of shock. She could hardly talk. If she moved her head to look at him, she moved it very slowly. She was nervous and just kept fidgeting with the candy cane he gave her. When he'd ask her a question, she'd answer very softly. It was funny.



The Tour of Homes

Me, Sanna

Sanna, Me




This is a pic from a child's room from "The Farm". This was the largest house we toured.

This is the parent's bathroom from "The Farm" house.



This is an unusual picture, I know. I also don't know why they didn't close the lid before the tour started, however....it was cool because in the girl's bathroom, she had decapodged (sp?) pics. The rest of her bathroom had more square footage than my first apartment.

I have no idea why I didn't take my coat off for this picture, but I didn't. This was taken as we were leaving "The Farm" house. The weird thing was they made you put on shoe covers to take the tour. TACKY It's a fundraiser tour. If you are wealthy enough to put your house on this tour, you are wealthy enough to have someone clean up the germs or mess. TACKY

This was the home theater in the germaphobe's house. Very cool. (By the way, Steven likes how the curtains around the theater screen are already embroidered with a giant "B" so that we won't have to change that when we move in...can't blame him for dreaming, right?)

This is a picture from, though not the biggest, but defintely, the "bestest". A house on Mt. Sinai was on the tour and it was very welcoming and beautifully decorated for the holidays. The views were breathtaking. The driveway was tricky. Smallest world ever, though, my friend Mandy is cousin's with the daughter-in-law of the residents. Draw a chart to connect that one out, but I made the connection very quickly! :) I want my friend Terri to make me covers for my dining room chairs similar to these. I loved the initals on things.

Us on the Porch of the great Sinai house....I just loved the welcoming feel to the house. Not to mention all the great decor.

Great Room of the welcoming Sinai house

That's all folks...................

Fa La La Laaaaa

Before I got married, I used to think, "what possesses people to marry and then separate out stuff?" Separate beds, separate cars, separate bank accounts...I did not understand the point of marrying someone to just "draw the line" down the middle of the room.

Ten Years Later.......
Fact: Libby jolts out of bed in the middle of the night as though our house has just been in the midst of an invasion in the Middle East. Steven moves to the guestroom with her about 3 am. Someone has to get sleep. The more that do, the better. No one understands what it is like to have a kid that doesn't ever get soundly to sleep. Then, to be a mom that has to have still and quiet to hopefully get back to sleep because she gets her day started around 5 a.m. NEVER tell me to get her in her own bed until you live about 3 days in this life. Preferably the Monday 13 degree car duty at 7:10 days. Therefore, lots of times, the last two hours of our sleep life is in separate beds. I get it. I may not want it. But, I get it.

Fact: I downloaded lots of my favorite songs for the Christmas Season to my IPod. Notice the word "my". I decided to play some of the songs as we were out and about yesterday. I've never seen someone cringe as much as Steven did. He said the artists I chose did a terrible injustice to the songs, not to mention disservice as they left out verses. He said it nicely, but he said it. Ugh. My IPod. Miiiiine. I could imagine riding in separate cars. :) Add to that fact: I drove us around yesterday evening because he forgot his wallet at home. It was funny because I just pulled off the road when I felt like it and got a slushy. It was hilarious not to have to have a preface and 5 reasons to stop. I just did it. See, if we just rode separately......I may never arrive. LOL

Fact: We don't have enough money to have separate bank accounts, but if we did, I bet we would. I can't buy him a gift without a Purchase Order and a money trace on it.

Fact: My getting dressed routine takes on a life of it's own that leaves clothes in the crossfire. We've got separate closets. And. I. Like. It. And. He's. Good. With. It.

Off to Perry, Georiga to finish our Christmas shopping----in one car, with one ATM card, ****and he's frantically searching for his wallet****. :) "Fa La La Laaaaa", sings Leann Rimes on my IPod.

Dedicated to Sanna

My sister Sanna has to work today. She likes to read my blog while she is at lunch. She can't find the time in any other part of her day to give a rip about my boring ongoings. So, because I know she is working today and I am not, I decided to write a post just for her so she'd have something to read at lunch. Today, Steven, Libby and I are contemplating a trip to Perry, Georgia tomorrow. It is a 3 hour drive. We have a list of things to pick up at a store there. Libby has pretended to swim in the floor because she is so bored. She created a swimming pool in her bathroom. We asked her what she wanted for Chrimstas and she replied: a Scooby Doo doll, Charlie Brown toys, a firetruck, a helicopter and a white guitar like the guy at church. We asked her what we should buy Kaylee and she repeated her Christmas list and added that she'd giver her the flower shower curtain from her bathroom because she wants a monkey shower curtain. So giving...NOT. Steven decided to get into some mass project with downloading all of the pictures I've taken from the old camera, the new camera and the cell phones. So, Sanna, we are at home....all dressed up, no where to go. We can't even agree on lunch today. I want hamburger and feta cheese pizza from the pizza place downtown and he wants one of 3 items he eats: chicken fingers (yuck, the title is just gross), Taco Bell (in Murray County for the chilito), or Chinese food. There's our blah of a day. Have a great day! Oh, I plan to work on some school stuff Sunday and to get the pumpkins off this blog and change it to Christmas. It's harder than it looks because I have to import the blog roll. Anyway, have a good one!

You Say "No", I Say "School".

After today, no school for a few days. I am rather excited to have time off with Libby, see family and enjoy the yummy things of Thanksgiving that kick off the Holiday Season. Hopefully, I will get some recent pics taken and downloaded to post. I hope to also get a research project done and several other things from my to do list. We'll see. You say, "No", I Say "School".

Ugly Truths About Me

I wonder how many times I start a blog with "Okay" or "Well"? Probably too many, which is precisely the reason I started out with the first two words of this entry.

Here's the deal, the "ugly truth". Just say those two words with an echo. U-G-L-Y T-R-U-T-H.

I haven't written an entry because I haven't had time, I haven't really had anything to motivate me to write, and I sometimes feel like people really don't care. I know that's dumb, but hey, honesty is what this blog is about.

Sometimes, people think that I seem like I try to be "perfect". That couldn't be farther from the truth. I care what people think of me only in the sense that I hope to inspire, help or model doing what's good or right. As I've worn in the 30 year age range (go ahead and hold that thought at 32, at least for a few more weeks), I've become clear on the fact that being "perfect" isn't as important as just being you. Just being.

Since, a couple of readers (yes, it's dropped from 5 to 2, hahaaaa), wanted to know what's up with me, I decided to megaphone out some ugly truths. These ugly truths are truly what's up. They will all be taken care of soon because I'll snap out of my blur of a run in life as time off is near. :) I must say that an ugly truth, however, is that I really love to work. I love the people I work with a lot. They are awesome. What they do on a daily basis with a tough to teach population is so insirational. I suppose much of the reason I have ugly truths is I take pride in working myself to the bone for the profession that inspires me so much. Hey, if you've ever thought about being a teacher. Do it. It is amazing. I'd do it without pay if I could afford to. I just love figuring out how to teach kids to think. It's a cool process. Ooppsy, major side track, there. My ugly truths, mmmmkay, here goes:

Here're some ugly truths that lurk right inside 2010 Rolling Hills Way:

1) I have a crockpot, some bowls and spoons in a picnic basket sitting in my garage from Tuesday of last week. They have dried up remnants of a luncheon from work. I plan on washing them, but the dishwasher needs to be emptied and I'm tired.
2) I have a dryer of towels that need to be folded.
3) I have stroller in my trunk that I was tired of hitting my foot on when I walked to the other side of the car, so I just put it in my trunk to keep from having to think of what to do with it.
4) I have storm shelter underground behind my house with a glass paned door?? Go figure.
5) I have a TV with no clue where the remote is in the sitting room.
6) I could eat pasta 3 meals a day and not care.
7) I have a load of laundry in the washer that could have to be re-washed because it's been in the washer for a bit.
8) I have used my CitiBank credit card for breakfast all week because I can't find the little stash of cash I'm supposed to manage.
9) I despise laziness. Are my ugly truths a sign of laziness? hmm
10) I let my kid watch "Word Girl" and "SuperWhy" more than she should just so she'll be still for a few minutes so I can get things done.
11) I have all the intentions in the world of making stuff perfect, and fast. I try.
12) The door on our mailbox stays open because it has lost some latch thing that we can't seem to get fixed and it gets on our nerves---bad.
13) I think our mailman sorts our mail and delivers it in the following pattern: Monday: Junk Mail, Tuesday: Bills, Wednesday: Utilities, Thursday: Nothing, Friday: Cards, Personal Type Mail, and Saturday: Sales Ads. Seriously. He could be a blog entry of his own. He ran into us at the local BBQ place, recognized we were in his mailing area because of our car and proceeded to counsel us about debt. Yeaaa, kinda cooky in a weird way.
14) I have a land line, but don't see a need for it. I can't keep my cell charged for the life of me.
15) The 7 on our cordless basically doesn't work. You have to dial a 7 for all local numbers. Our cordless sucks.
16) I say a swear word here and there when I get upet, not in front of Libby. I pinky promise. But, I do. I say a swear word with my teeth clenched. I have a favorite one, too. Ugly truth...
17) My shampoo has been sitting upside down in the shower because I'm pretty much out and I haven't gotten around to getting more. It hurts the palm of my hand every morning because I refuse to use Steven's store bought shampoo on my dye job.
18) Our shower, yuck.
19) My sunglasses only have one temple because the screw came out and I haven't taken time to do anything about it.
20) I have a gym membership I haven't used in.............since..........gosh, June? July?
21) I have 4 dead trees in my yard that look like firewood ready to happen.
22) I hate to sleep.
23) I really feel embarrassed at what organized religion has done to some people. I really do. I hate to say that. It's an ugly truth for me, however. I fight that feeling a lot.
24) I like FaceBook. I like it during meetings. I like it during times when I should be listening to others and can choose to just social network in a "blackberry prayer" pose.
25) I'm not ambitious enough to enjoy cooking, but I love to eat. Ugly truth.
26) I like TV. I'm not one of those, "who has time for TV". Nope. I watch it. And I like it.
27) I think mean kids are interesting. I think it's intriguing to figure out what makes them tick.
28) I hate collections of things. I think there's enough unique stuff in the world that you don't need to collect items of sameness.
29) I don't like the number four. I love the "fiveness". The number five is cool.
30) I don't like people who don't keep promises. Life is so short and people are so precious that you should do what you promise and promise only what you'll do.
31) I hate $5 bills? I know. I love 5's, but not $5 bills. They seem just wrong. I love $10 bills.
32) Orgami. I can't stand it.
33) I miss people. I miss people that I don't even know well, but am accustomed to seeing.
34) Once someone has disappointed me, I can pretty much look past them, though. I can move on after the disappointment and not worry about them anymore.
35) I worry about stuff. Not as bad as I used to, but I worry. I don't worry about what people think of me, but if people think of me.

Ugly truths. No pictures needed. Do you have ugly truths?

Sicker Than A Dawg

Well, I've managed to get a case of the Dalton crud at the usual time of the year. I feel like dungwholio. That is dung-who-leo. I made that up. I think it's a derivation of a word from Beevis and Butthead. I never watched that show. But, because Steven did, it was quoted frequently during our dating years---and usually met with an eyeroll from me. Libby is doing well. Steven is doing fine. Maybe, I'll post a nice update sometime this week so you don't have to read a gripe or complaint from me. I'll spare you from me posting my real thoughts today. I think it best to keep them to myself. Later.

What Happens Here, Stays Here

Obviously, that title is a total joke. What happens here SO does not stay here. Let me just say that today, I am going to gripe and solicit advice. I'm putting it all out there.

When I was younger, my Nanny Ree would tell me not to complain, to "be thankful". If I was having trouble getting my hair to look like I wanted it to and whined about it, she'd say, "be thankful, you could be bald." That used to make me so ill. It's not that it's not true, but for crying out loud, in this pollyanna world, can't we just b*tch every once in a while? Don't get me wrong. I am thankful for so much. If you don't want to hear me gripe, just don't read this one. I'm okay with that. It's really more about me just getting it out than actually thinking there could be a solution. I imagine this era to be a tunnel with a light at the end, however the light is probably just a lighted sign that reads, "Out of Order". You can see I didn't have my dose of optimism this morning.

First, my dear sweet child is in a stage of repeatedly asking questions......especially "why" questions that just don't even warrant an answer short of a possible thesis for someone's graduate school paper. It's driving me batty. I need headphones with white noise. For about the first 500 questions, I tried to answer them. I tried to "sieze that teachable moment" and not just say, "because it does". Now, I am to the point of just trying to tune it out over my audible cry for peace. If she isn't asking why questions, she's just repeating questions OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER................................................

Secondly, the whining. Dear heavens, please, please give me relief from the high maintenance whining. My stars. Does it ever end? It's absurd. I can't even watch "Jon & Kate Plus 8" anymore because their kids whine and I feel like I get enough of that at home.

There are literally points of time at home that I think if I could just run, I would. I mean literally Forrest Gump run until I was completely unkempt, but away. It's absolutely wearing me thin. For those of you that have kids, do you have these same issues? Do they end? What do you do for relief? I love my kid to pieces, for some reason, however, her latest stage is tiring.

Libby Lately: Ten Moments

Successful Visit to the Dentist!

#1 In Sunday School, Libby's class was talking about that God is always with you. A child in the class whose Mom is expecting a baby chimed in that God put a baby in his mom's tummy. Other kids chimed in that they were once in their mommys' tummies. Libby commented that God put her in her Daddy's tummy?! Of all times, I decided to go her from the class to receive that report. All I could do was laugh hysterically, not just at the thought that she said something so "out there," but more so at the thought of Steven.....can't even finish that thought.

#2 Libby still says "Fra-dic-lee-us" for ridiculous.

#3 When I swatted her bottom the other day, she screamed out, "Hey, we don't hit others." Lately, when Steven swats her, she says, "soooo, I'm just gonna scratch..." and scratches her self or mid air.

#4 While sitting at Ben & Jerry's this past weekend on the brick couch outside, Libby decides to look up to the "blue 'ting" (sky) and scream, "God, why won't you talk back to me!?." I said, "Libby, what in the world." She said, "My teacher said if I cry out to God, he will hear me. He never answers."

#5 Lately, Libby has been watching a lot of "Wonder Pets" where they sing about teamwork. When asked to clean her room, she replied, "dat sounds like a time for teamwork."

#6 She threatened to trade me in for "a new mommy". I have no clue where she got that from, but from the way she was acting, I wanted to know where I could sign her up for the trade.

#7 When asked if she'd like a whippin' for her behavior, she replied, "no" and when told not to smart talk, she said, "oh, sorry, no 'tank' you to duh spankin".

#8 Because she blames everything on her cousin Kaylee, she has a cold this week and said, "Kaylee Mad-son gave me her big cough and sneeze." She hasn't seen Kaylee in over a week.

#9 She gives directions to her school by saying, "Turn at the milkshake store." She then threatens to leave school to stay with the 'milkshake girls'.

#10 Anytime we get aggrevated with her, she busts out in the "Smile Song" from Little Einsteins. She thinks because it makes the Loch Ness monster smile, it will work with us.

And The Relatives Came

"In a rainbow-colored station wagon that smelled like a real car, the relatives came. When they arrived, they hugged and hugged from the kitchen to the front room. All summer they tended the garden and ate up all the strawberries and melons. They plucked banjos and strummed guitars. When they finally had to leave, they were sad, but not for long. They all knew they would be together next summer. "

I love that book. It's a children's book by Cynthia Rylant and I've always been able to identify with the family coming to stay for a while. Families don't come to visit anymore. Why you have to practically schedule an appointment to let your kid see a grandparent, however, it wasn't always that way. Used to, no matter how far away relatives lived, they took the time to pile up in the car and come stay awhile. I just love that book. It reminds me of fond times when relatives came.



This weekend, we had an 83rd birthday for our Nanny Ree. She is my dad's mom and lives every second of her life to the fullest. Appetizers were: apples with caramel, cheese and crackers, or chips and salsa. The main dish was: Easy Brunswick Stew and Cornbread Dessert: duh, birthday cake! We had the party at my house, And The Relatives Came:

This is Rich and Nanny Ree

Nanny Ree checking out the cake.

Rodney, in the background doing the tacky and hiding his face, Kaylee and Nanny Ree chatting.

Nanny Ree preparing to blow out the candles.

A lady that works with Steven makes delicious cakes. It was only $35 and it was a big cake.

Anna will probably have better pics on her site. I hardly got any pics as I was running around everywhere. Happy 83rd to Nanny Ree!