Lessons Learned

This post was going to be a "poor me" post, 'cause I had such an awful morning yesterday. Actually Bella had the bad morning which, of course, rubbed off on me. First she couldn't find her swimming bag and couldn't find her lunch box...AND spilled her entire hot chocolate in the back seat of my car (hence the rubbing off on me part). She felt awful and couldn't stop crying. She kept saying that everything was all her fault. I felt bad for her because I really could empathize with her. There are so many days that EVERYTHING just goes south.

But thankfully I saw the teachable moment with my daughter and took full advantage and in the process really helped myself. I told her that she had a choice. She could either put the entire bad morning behind her and make an effort to make sure that the rest of her day was good OR she could continue to wallow in her bad morning and let that ruin her whole day. She really pulled herself together and by the time she walked to her class she had forgotten all about her bad morning.

I really tried to listen to my own advice. I had some other issues today, but I really think that I put them into check and tried to enjoy the wonderful moments of my day...and being a teacher there are many many wonderful aspects to my day. Truthfully...I had 4 1/2 hours of rehearsals in a row and that much time interacting with kids could do nothing else but help push me into the correct mindset despite all the other crap.

I keep a saying on my wall. "Life is not the way it is supposed to be. It's just the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference." I think Bella and I learned our lesson...


...for now.

More Later

-A Ro

Random Dozen and GOOOOOOOAL

I forgot to mention in all my goings on that my girl scored her first soccer goal last Sunday. I thought I was going to explode. She has never played soccer before AND it was only her third game. I screamed my head off...later she told me that if she ever scores again that I shouldn't scream so loud. I tried to explain to her that kind of behavior was what she gets, and she should have thought about that before she picked me as her mother...she wasn't buying it.


And now on to "A Second Cup of Coffee's" random dozen...

1. On an average, how often do you splurge and buy something for yourself?

I love to buy other people gifts. I love to spend money on other people. Having said that I will splurge on bargains for myself. Does that make sense? I don't really like to spend a lot of money on anything. I guess that really doesn't answer the question, now does it.


2. Are you more like Hall or Oates? Just kidding. Real question: What is the last creative project you began/finished? Feel free to post a pic of it.

I am more like Oates...the genius in the background...ha ha...hmmm...I did this picture wall for my entryway. When my sister got married there were a lot of great pictures of the people I love the most who I don't get to see very often. I decoupaged some wooden frames and surrounded the larger family picture. I just love this...however, if you haven't noticed already, I have not finished it...go figure.

3. OK, Goldie Locks, do you consider your house too big, too little or just right?

My house is just right. I am not a picky person with regards to houses. I can make any space big or small a home...awwww

4. What is your favorite outdoor chore?

I am not a big yard worker kinda gal, but I love raking leaves. Yes I know I live in California. Yes I know that we don't get a typical "fall"...maybe that is why I like it so much...ha ha

5. If you knew that cigarette smoking was not bad for your health but would be a weight loss tool, would you use it? Why or why not?

Doesn't matter how much weight it would make me lose they would still stink and cost an arm and a leg...so no I guess I'll just have to stick to diet and exercise...wow did i just say that?!?!?

6. On a road trip, would you rather drive or ride?

I would MUCH rather ride...always...I hate driving.

7. What do you consider a trivial pursuit?

I think in general...trying, by any means, to look younger. Now I know that I am at the ripe old age of 40 and just MAYBE I might change my mind, but all those pills, and lotions, and lifts, and tucks, and serums, and injections see like a trivial pursuit. (By the way, I had to look up the definition of trivial pursuit and all I could find was the board game, so I really hope I answered the question correctly...)

8. This weekend, we downloaded the movie "Duplicity" with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Within 5 minutes, I was bored and annoyed, but I kept watching 5-10 minutes at a time hoping it would get better between small chores. I finally gave up and Jorge watched it alone, and then regretted wasting that time because he disliked it intensely, too. So ... how long do you watch a movie or read a book before giving up on it?

It takes a lot for me to give up on anything...I am my father's daughter...and you can read all about how that ruined my weekend awhile back here. Violence of any kind will usually send me out of the room or the theater, but other than that I usually will waste my hours and wish for them back.

9. Is there a song that you really love but are embarrassed to admit because it's not cool or it's racy or because it's by Hall and Oates?

I really don't like Miley Cyrus, but every time I hear "The Climb" I start to cry...gets me every time. It is now that I wish I knew how to embed a youtube video. I want to be cool like everyone else...maybe someday...a girl has got to have dreams.

10. On a scale of 1-10 (10 = extremely) how spontaneous are you?

Can you be flexible and not spontaneous?? I feel like I love to plan and have a plan, yet I am a very flexible person. Being a single mother and a teacher sorta throws you into flexibility whether you like it or not. So I am going to say a 5. How's that for riding the fence??

11. Are you a food and/or beverage snob?

nope...I'll eat anything...did I mention I need to lose 15 pounds???

12. Who/What are you trying to control in your life?

Did I mention that I need to lose 15 pounds???

Thanks for stopping by and reading my random thoughts...

More Later

-A Ro

The Talk

This blog is all about the birds and the bees and I don't mean a discussion about flying creatures that start with the letter b. I am talking about the discussion of what happens during puberty and the like.

...just warnin' ya.

My daughter is 9. My ex husband has been pressuring me to have "the talk" with her. He read on-line that sometimes girls start to menstruate around 9 or 10. Well that just seemed WAY to early to me...

...not to mention the trauma that I felt about having to sit down with my girl and go over all that stuff...

...oh to be in labor again, oh to go through those terrible twos, oh to feed her every two hours...now THOSE were the good old days of parenting compared.

Anyhoo...I just didn't want to do it so I have been avoiding the subject with him, but he would not relent. So I decided to ask some of the teachers who have girls my daughter's age what their thoughts are. My good friend Gaby, who has a daughter in Bella's grade, told me that this summer her doctor told her that she should have "the talk" very soon, because you don't want something to take her totally by surprise. Gaby and I decided that we should just do it...this was only after the science teacher who teaches this stuff to the 5th graders wouldn't do for us.

So I decided one night after her bath to sit down and go over what is going to happen to her body during puberty. She sat their with her eyes wide open and in total shock. I won't go into details but I think you'll get the idea on just how south the whole conversation went by two of the sentences she uttered between her sobbing.

1. "Well then I am just going to make sure that all my eggs are fertilized" (I had already decided that the sex talk needed to wait...but informed her that her "solution" wouldn't work unless she wanted to field her own soccer team by the time she was 15)

2. "You mean I have to go through that EVERY month for the REST OF MY LIFE" (I also didn't want to go into the discussion of menopause just yet...as it just might make me start to sob)

Needless to say I went to bed thinking that I traumatized my poor little girl...cause I really couldn't think of anything positive to say about the whole "time of the month" stuff.

What am I going to say?

...Oh it really isn't all that bad...(lie)

...It only lasts a short time and then you have a whole 3 weeks before it starts again...(not going to help)

...At least it doesn't hurt...(lie)

Well thankfully she asked a few more questions...and we bought the book "The Care and Keeping of You" by Valerie Schaefer

She has paged through it a couple of times, but at least I know she is informed about puberty...now I just have to muster up the courage to talk about sex...geez no one told me that parenting would only get harder...


...oh wait my mom did...

More Later

- A Ro

Not Fit Fare Friday, But Something Butter...I Mean Better

I am in a bit of a hurry this morning. I should have blogged last night, but the laundry, and the lunches, and the baseball game, and the soccer game, and the running here and the running there, and the movie with my good friend Mandy, and the breakfast with GS, and the grocery shopping, and the lunch making...just filled every last second of my weekend. Plus the alarm was set to go off at 4:00 am and I boy did I NEED to get up and exercise. So I didn't blog last night so I am squeezing it in this morning before I start my mid quarter progress reports.

Like excuses?? Here is another one...

I can't find my Fit Fare Friday pictures of my failed Asian Beef Rolls...that didn't roll. I looked and looked, and I know what you are thinking how could I have REALLY looked amongst all those other things I was doing this weekend...but I did.

What I did find was these pictures that made me happy.

I go to Iowa every summer for about two weeks. My family thinks that my kids and I take this trip to come see them...and as long as it gets us a place to stay and some face time with my niece and nephews they can just go on thinking that. But the truth of the matter is I go home to go to the Iowa State Fair.

Now the Iowa State Fair people think we visit the fair to see the animals, ride the rides, and up our cholesterol levels by eating fried fat on a stick, but that is just not the case. I go to the Iowa State Fair to see this...
The Butter Cow...yes my internet friends...that is an entire cow made out of butter. Cool huh...but wait there is more...the folks that do the butter cow also do another butter sculpture that is timely. This summer since it was the 40 year anniversary of the moon walk (even though my son is convinced that the moon walk never happened...but that is another Oprah) they did a man on the moon.

and an actual TV set in a butter console. It had the moon walk video playing.

The butter cow people wanted to do a Michael Jackson themed tribute, but the Jackson clan would have nothing to do with it they thought it was an insult to be sculpted in butter...they obviously didn't know what a privilege and quite frankly an honor it would be to be the object of the butter cow exhibit. Oh well their loss...

However, your loss is not having the failed Asian Beef Rolls recipe, but I promise that I'll try to have a Fit Fare Friday recipe up for Friday, but it won't be Asian Beef Rolls...sorry...

maybe I'll attempt a butter sequined glove...

nah...

More Later

-A Ro

Nothin' Better than a Brand New Baby

My new niece is here!!!! She was born this morning at 7:32 central time. She weighs 7lbs 6 oz and she was 20 1/2 inches. Her name is Abigal Kathryn Slay...and she is the most precious thing this side of the Mississippi. That is until I see my other nephews and my niece then I'll remember how adorable they are and then she'll have to be tied. Then there are my own two precious babies (not so much babies anymore)...oh well I just love kids and this precious one has my heartstrings right now.

We are so very excited and happy to have Abby here.

More Later

-A Ro

Birthin' Babies

I have decided to change fonts...I just needed something to shake it up a bit.



However the most important info of the day has nothing to do with fonts...



something much more cute...



much sweeter...



and smells much nicer...





My sister was due to have her baby yesterday!!!



Yesterday she called me at 6:20 and told me she was having some contractions and felt like stuff was goin' on down there. Since then I have decided that it is hard to give advice to pregnant women and new mothers for that matter because each birthing experience and each baby is SOOO different AND quite frankly, some of the truths are just hard to hear. My story is no different. My son and daughter were not going to come on their own. I was induced both times and didn't have an epidural with either one. I know you are thinking either you are crazy or very strong...the truth is the thought of having a needle stuck in my back was too much to bear. I guess that makes the "being crazy theory" the correct answer. My daughter never slept as a new born and cried for the first three months. My son was a quiet sweet baby who also never slept.



There just isn't one right way to do it or one right answer.



However, in attempting to give advice and TRY to be helpful I have been thinking about those two topics and have come up with some things that are just universal.



Here goes:

• from the moment you find out you are pregnant your bathroom becomes the room in your house most visited


• you look at non pregnant skinny girls with envy


• the first time your baby kicks you is the coolest thing EVER!!!


• being pregnant is an amazing thing


• the last trimester to birth seems like the longest time of your life.


• waiting for the birth sucks


• the amount you are dilated during the last weeks before your due date has nothing to do with how long it will be before you actually give birth


• the doctor does very little in the process of giving birth...thank goodness for nurses!!


• giving birth involves some pain


• the weeks after birth involve some pain


• onesies are the greatest invention


• you are very tired


• you are extremely tired


• you have a hard time remembering the last time you slept, ate, or took a shower


• giving birth is the easiest part of becoming a parent...the hardest part is yet to come


• vitamin E does nothing for stretch marks


• you never saw something so small eat so much


• you never realized how much you could love another human being

I wish my baby sister good luck, god speed, and a good anesthesiologist. My kids will finally have to consider their Aunt Kate an adult.

More later

-A Ro

The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth

OK the truth is that I had a Fit Fare Friday all planned out. I was going to do Asian Beef Rolls. I liked this recipe even though I failed terribly at the Roll part of Asian Beef Rolls. I decided however to keep the pictures and blog about it anyway, cause just because they didn't roll, per say, I was still able to salvage the recipe and it was very good....even without the rolling part (which I now know why they didn't roll and I am pretty sure that I could get them to roll the next time).

Quite frankly life isn't all about perfection it is about perseverance. Yeah, yeah...that sounds good...real good.

Any way it is only fitting that all of my pictures of the failed Asian Beef Rolls are down on the other computer and not on the computer that I am currently working on. It is 20 minutes before I have to go to bed and I am just not in the mood to go downstairs, kick my son off of the other computer and blog down there.

Call me lazy...go ahead...I dare you...

Truth be told is I am lazy tonight. I am down right bone tired. I have had two of the longest days in my life and tomorrow is Middle School Back to School Night and I have to be at work until around 9:00 pm. So you all (all 10 of you) are going to have to wait until the weekend for failed Asian Beef Rolls.

But I'll leave you with this picture. It makes me happy. It should make you happy.

...all 10 of you.

More later

-A Ro