Here we go again

Going back to work after many weeks off is a bittersweet event. I am a creature of habit so the thought of getting back into a routine is very nice. The actual getting everything ready for school to start is not so nice. Not to mention the fact that there is a huge difference in the way I handle an alarm going off at 6:00 am and 4:00 am...

Then there is the never ending circus act called "WATCH THE AMAZING MOM TRY TO JUGGLE ALL THE SCHEDULES...WITHOUT A NET" Let me tell you sometimes I come tumbling down, however thankfully I have a net...GS. He is, in fact, saving me from one of the "too many plates in the air" events this Thursday. Andrew and I need to be at his US orientation as a mom and a staff member. It is 30 minutes from where we live...it starts at 5:30...we both have to be there. Bella has a soccer practice 2 minutes from where we live...it starts at 5:30...and she needs to be there since Thursday is the only practice she can actually make.

Do you see the problem?

Do you see the trend already happening and we aren't even in the first week of school?

Thankfully GS has rearranged his work schedule so he can do the soccer practice!!! HOORAY one plate kept in the air...

and you wonder why he has the title Godsend...

Speaking of Bella and soccer...

Ok Ok I really just needed an excuse to post these incredibly cute pictures of my girl. I do have to say that this is Bella's first attempt at an organized sport. She is a very rugged girl, and is very athletic in nature, but has never played soccer before. Really much to my surprise we went out and got the pink shin guards, pink socks, and pink and black cleats...I guess the girly girl stuck in the self proclaimed tomboy comes out every once in a while to let us all know she exists. She did very well for her first practice and seemed to get everything. The cutest thing was she kept looking at me each time she tried something new...just to make sure I saw.I am already a bit worried about my level of enthusiasm I have for her soccer playing. It was only the first practice and I was cheering very loudly...in fact now that I think about it I was the only one cheering loudly...hmmm could this be a problem? Most of the other moms were chatting, or texting, or sleeping but I couldn't stop sending verbal encouragement. I just want her to know that I support her and take her latest endeavor very seriously...


I am glad someone does!!!


More Later

-A Ro

Summer Birthdays Stink

I know this all too well...

July 28. This is the day I was born. This is a rotten day to be born...if you are a child. This day is smack in the middle of summer break. This is a day that all of my childhood friends went on vacation.

My kids birthdays are August 3rd for Bella and August 10th for Andrew. These are rotten days to be born. We are ALWAYS in Iowa for their birthdays. Although my family really takes this responsibility seriously and makes them feel really special...it isn't the same as a big party with their friends. This also causes us to have to open presents at our house before we leave, days before either of their birthdays...and if we do have any kind of friend birthday it always has to happen weeks after their birthdays...and it kinda loses its flair.

Poor Bella...she just looks so unhappy!!!

He looks so miserable doesn't he...


More Later

- A Ro

I wish...

I realize my limitations and my faults. I really do. I wish certain things were true about me. For instance:

• I wish I moisturized after washing my face and taking a shower, but usually I am lucky to have enough time to wash my face and take a shower.
• I wish that I cooked most of my meals from scratch instead of using a box and a can opener. Now I do my share of making meals from scratch, but not nearly enough.
• I wish that I popped out of bed ready to go when my alarm goes off, instead of needing to hit the snooze button dozens of times.
• I wish I could keep my kitchen clean...all the time.
  
• I wish that the desire to exercise came easy...yeah I know join the club.
  
• I wish that I could find the time to blog everyday, I love my blog, I love to read blogs, and I really find writing in my blog makes me happy.
• On a similar note, I wish that I could find the time to read my Blogging for Dummies book that would help me with more of my blogging wishes...like maybe a few comments and a bigger following.
  
• I wish that I could find the time to scrapbook...I think that I am on year 2004...YIKES.
• I wish that I didn't love movie theater popcorn and ooey gooey pizza.
• I wish that cleaning my house was something that I loved doing. I love having a clean house, but the doing part...not so much.
• I wish that I kept in better touch with all my friends.
• I wish that I never forgot a birthday.
  
• I wish that I did a better job of letting nasty ugly people just slide off my back.
  
• I wish that I always knew what to say to my teen age son to make him feel passionate about the importance of school and cello. He's got the baseball passion down all by himself.
  
• I wish that I find the words to make my daughter feel beautiful and never give up on anything she wants.

Now before you think that I am just a pessimistic stick in the mud, I do know that I have many talents and lots of things going for me. Most important being:

• I have a good heart and really care about my family and friends.
• I am a good teacher who cares deeply for every student that walks through the doors of room 504...my own students or not.
• I want to be better...always.

I am going to tackle each of my wishes one at a time. A new one each week. I'll let you know how it goes.


More Later

- A Ro

Two Birds with One Stone

My daughter is still at the age where getting a new backpack for your birthday is the greatest thing ever.

Do you understand the significance of this?

I mean this, really is a great thing.

This means that a needed school supply...can double as a birthday present.

What is even better is her Nana bought her this really cool Pottery Barn backpack that she absolutely loves.

New backpack for school...check!!!
I didn't have to buy it...check!!!

I am sorry, but it doesn't get any better than that.



Unless you have a kid that enjoys getting protractors and rulers for her birthday...I'll have to try that next year!!


More later

-A Ro

Bella's Birthday on a Boat

We were in Arkansas for Isabella's birthday. My sister Kate, my brother in law Dustin, and my mom all pitched in and rented a pontoon boat for four hours. We went to Lake Hamilton which is in Dustin's neck of the woods (see I am in Arkansas, I would never use the saying "neck of the woods" in LA).

Now I know what you are thinking...four hours on a boat in August in Arkansas...hot, sticky, miserable. Well let me tell you friends it was miserable...just miserable...miserable if miserable means this:or this:or this:
Isabella had a blast. She lounged around. Threw ice in the lake. Put her hair in a ponytail, and if you know Isabella like I do you know that this wouldn't normally be under the "had a blast" category, but Nana did it so...well you know how it goes.

We tooled around the lake for a while then docked, ordered pizza, and ate on the boat. Dustin and Kate got her a cake, and I would show you a picture, but I was holding the cake and not taking pictures so you'll have to wait until I get them off of my mom's camera, which means...you'll never see them. Take my word for it, the cake was yummy, and Bella loved it.

But her very favorite part of the trip was getting to drive the boat, and honk the horn.Do you see how excited she is?? That expression is priceless...Thank you Uncle Dustin!!!

Andrew got to drive the boat too, however his expression is a little more serious than hers.I think he is trying to figure out the aerodynamics of the boat, compared to the engine torque, and how much the tranny comes into play...yada yada yada...


One more picture:How come pregnant women don't like to have their picture taken?? I mean look how beautiful she is...

I guess I was like that too...


More Later

-A Ro

Arkansas

Well I am back in Arkansas. I came back to the Midwest for my twice yearly visit. Let me tell you my trip was like getting molasses out of a jar...I know not a very good attempt at a southern simile, but it is the best I can do.

Here are the highlights:

• I got up at 3:00 am.
• Got into a fender bender right before the airport (not the best part of town mind you)
• Having to say good bye to GS who doesn't have any vacation yet...that sucked. Traveling without the one you love...well...it just stinks.
  
• Sat next to a 16 year old girl who was dying to get back to Dayton OH after visiting her mother in rehab...in where else...L.A.
• Got to watch a woman apply makeup throughout the first part of the flight...I am sorry, but there are just somethings that shouldn't be done in public. I know there are worse things that people have done in public, but this is just not necessary.
• Watched Millionaire Matchmaker for $6 on the in flight Direct TV. There are some desperate young ladies and millionaires out there...who knew?
  
• Had only 40 minutes in Denver to get to our connecting plane...make that 20 minutes as an EMT had to get on the plane when we landed to assist a passenger at the back of the plane.
• We made it, without stopping to eat, going to the bathroom, or passing GO and collecting our $200.
• Got off the plane in Kansas City.
• After plenty of hugs and kisses from Nana drove 6 hours to Little Rock, AR. However I must comment on driving across the Midwest. Having driven long hours in the car most of my life and in various parts of the country there is nothing like driving in the Midwest for one reason and one reason only...rest stops. This is just an amazing invention. These places are located at various points along the highway and they are just bathrooms. When you travel with kids and women over 40 ie: me...these places are an oasis. No distractions, no gift shops, no endless assortment of candy, no tempting fast food, no getting the key from a guy named Bob behind bullet proof glass...just bathrooms. Brilliant I say...brilliant.
  

My 18 hour ordeal was worth it all to see this face:
And this face...and what you cannot tell is that Tucker is cuddled up next to my sister's belly which is the current home to my new niece Abby...

To see my family, and family to be, is worth traveling like molasses.



More later

-A Ro

P.S. my kids were wonderful, I mean perfect...throughout the entire trip...I am such a lucky mom...

Nothin' says Happy Birthday like a little throw up

Oh, are you still reading?

I thought I might have lost all of you at the title...

Well my Bella's birthday it Monday...and we will be in Arkansas visiting my sister, her husband, and her belly, which happens to contain my niece Abby. So we decided to go to our favorite restaurant Reds to celebrate tonight. We pull up at get a killer parking spot right in the front facing the door, and I was so stoked because the place was packed. We got out got our little buzzy thingey that tells you when your table is ready or could be used as a tazer because it always scares the begeezus out of me when it goes off. Andrew suggested that we sit in the car, cause a. it was hot b. we were right in front and c. it was hot. We are not sitting there more than 5 minutes when out comes this curly red headed boy about 3 years old, his mom, and his little brother about 1. When the 3 year old bends over and totally loses his dinner, calls Ralph on the big white phone, sells Buicks, prays to the porcelain god, yawns a rainbow, de foods, calls for HUGH...

Ok Ok I just couldn't resist...but I think you get it.

So we are sitting there just amazed at what happened about 1 foot from the front of my car when his dad comes over to see if he is ok and jumps out of the way just in time for another launch. This poor family...wait a minute what about my poor family just getting ready to sit down to dinner...well it gets better...aka worse.

The Reds guy comes out to clean it up and when I say clean it up I mean brings out a big bucket of water and proceeds to wash the "stuff" right by the doors of my car. Andrew looks out his door and says...I am not ordering the bow tie pasta...

I suddenly have the need to purell my hands...and do so. Hoping that we don't get his booth.

Don't worry we enjoyed our birthday celebration, and nobody hollered at their shoes.

More Later

-A Ro

Girly Girls

For GS's daughter's birthday Bella and I got her a gift certificate to go get her finger and toe nails done. She had never been to a salon to get her nails painted and...well that is just about what everyone does in California.

Everyone except me...I know I just can't justify spending the money on that kind of nonsense...the only nonsense I spend my money on is $4.00 drinks at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf...but that is TOTALLY understandable.

But I must admit that the REAL reason I don't do the pedi/mani thing is the fact that I hate people touching my feet...hate it I tell you. The thought of someone rubbing lotion and scraping skin off of my feet nearly sends me over the edge...it took everything I had to stay in my seat while waiting for the girls, as the lady right next to me was getting the full treatment...I'll probably have nightmares. My fingernails are just non existent...being a music teacher, well let's just say my childhood piano teacher kept clippers next to her piano.

Bella, however, loves getting her fingernails and toenails done. With that being said she really thinks of herself as a tomboy. So we got into a big discussion in the car ride over about what a tomboy is. She does like to dress up and look nice, as long as dressing up and looking nice does not require her to brush her hair. That girl acts like I am chopping her head off when I try to brush her hair. She says stuff like "I can't believe how much you like to hurt me"...and "My head feels like you shoved pins in it"..."It feels like you are yanking all of my hair out" Can you say drama queen? Yet she won't get it cut...

Do you see what kind of rock and a hard place that girl puts me in

We convinced her that she was not a tomboy. She is just a girly girl who also likes boy stuff. Very much like her Aunt Kate, who I would have sworn was a tomboy because when she was Bella's age she had her hair cut short and only wore jeans and any free t-shirt she could get her hands on. She would have rather had me pull out all her hair than fix it up in any way that didn't involve a pony tail holder. She, thankfully, has grown up to like girly things too. Little good it does me now...geez Kate.

However, when Bella was sitting in the chair getting her toes done I noticed that she was covered in a thin layer of dirt, mostly on her knees.

I am glad we didn't include the manicurist in on our tomboy discussion....I am sure I know which way she would have voted.


More later

-A Ro