Recomendations

If I find something that I enjoy, I pass that information on to friends, family, co-workers, and really just about anyone that will listen. Any and everything is included in my recommendations... restaurants, books, deodorant, shoes, insurance, TV shows, CDs, quilt shops, blogs, school supplies... you name it, if I like it, I'll tell you about it.



I've been having issues with this lately though. I've given several recommendations lately that friends and family have taken me up on.



First, some friends of ours are in the market for a new car. When we bought our used car last year, we had a wonderful experience. I passed that information on last year and reiterated it recently when our friends mentioned they were looking. They took our recommendation and went to look at a car at that dealer. They had a horrible experience! The list of issues they had with the car they saw and the dealership was a mile long. I felt a little like an idiot. We had such a good experience and then here they are calling managers to complain!



Second, for Father's Day my in-laws were looking for a new place to take my father-in-law out to celebrate. Aaron and I suggested a new-ish restaurant that we've eaten at a handful of times. We've always enjoyed our food, had good service, loved the atmosphere, and felt like we got what we payed for. They decided that's where we should eat. I was excited to share this experience with them since I enjoy this location. When we got there everything started off great! Then it started going down hill. The big problem was when my MIL's food did not come out with the rest of the order AND she had to ask about it twice! Again, I felt horrible that I had suggested the place and then they were not having a good time.



I obviously can't take credit for all the problems that my friends and family encountered at these places, but I can't help but feel semi-responsible. Since both of these things happened very recently, I've been kinda shy about recommending things to folks lately. Does anyone else ever have issues like this?

VENT

It pisses me off to no end when people assume that I have no ability or knowledge of how to care for infants/toddlers/children simply because I have no children of my own.

I have more experience than ALL of my friends who became new moms within the last 2 years.

URRRGHHHHH!

Part Dos

*If you haven't read part uno, do that first*

On Tuesday my alarm went off at 5:00 am and I was off and running. I met Dana at the airport by 6 and we were on the plane and in the air by 8:15. This was really happening!

Dana is a fantastic planner! I told her that I'd go anywhere with her again because she had everything researched and planned. She had been on the NY State Health Department website to find a highly rated reputable tattoo parlor. We decided on Fly Rite. She had contacted our artist, Marina and they had discussed what we both wanted. Marina had given Dana the name of a car service to get from the airport to Fly Rite. Dana had even been on the travel channel website and watched some episodes all about Brooklyn. She had been especially impressed with a bakery, One Girl Cookies. Nothing escapes this girl, so she had studied the subway map and knew that we had to take the G line to get from Fly Rite to One Girl Cookies.

I LOVE flying and the trip up to NY was amazing. I got a window seat. Yipee!

We survived a NYC yellow taxi ride. It was as scary as they make it out to be on TV! Our driver made lanes up as he went, cut folks off, blew his horn (there were signs saying not to!), slammed on brakes, weaved in and out of lanes, and sped. An experience I'm not soon gonna forget.

We got to Fly Rite at 10am and our appointment was not until 2. So we hopped on the G line and rode the subway for about 15 minutes. That was NOT as scary as everyone makes it out to be! We then spent our morning walking around the streets of Brooklyn. We talked to a few locals, including a postal worker. We figured if there was anyone to ask directions from, it would be a mail carrier! We got lunch recomendations from a group of nannies. They recomended a fabulous sandwich/wrap/smoothie place. They also suggested that we go around the block and eat in a nice little park. Very nice ladies! We had a wonderful lunch and did a lot of people watching. Then of course we went to find One Girl Cookies for some dessert. Another great choice. We were then back on the G line headed back to find Marina.

We got to Fly Rite a little early and they weren't open yet, but Marina came out and let us in. She even got right to work on drawing our tattoos. All I showed her was a picture of a pressed hydrangea. Hydrangeas have a speacial meaning to me because they were our wedding flowers. She drew it up and was ready to go!

Dana had much more trouble. She decided she didn't like the design she had origianally planned on, so she had to find something else. Dana ended up using three different pre drawn tattoos and combining them to make something she was happy with. Marina drew that up and we were all set.

I went first.

Then it was Dana's turn

It didn't even hurt as much as I thought it would! We got our care instructions and headed back to the airport. We were home by bed time and have an awesome story to tell about how our tattoos came to be.

Spontaneity Part One

At the beginning of June we went to Nags Head with Dana, Michael & baby Brooklyn. We were celebrating her birthday and fitting in some much neglected hang out time. We also had plans to get tattoos. Dana was going to get a ladybug for her little ladybug Brooklyn, Dana's mom was going to get a dream catcher, Dana's aunt was going to get a tiger lily, and I was hesitant but had a picture of a hydrangea (our wedding flower) that I liked.

We created a caravan - seriously 3 full vehicles - down to the tattoo parlor and met the artists. Dana's mom picked hers our and got started. The rest of us promptly chickened out! Dana's aunt didn't have enough money to get what she wanted. Dana already had a tattoo from North Carolina...

*tangent - Dana already has 2 tattoos, one is from North Carolina and her college days. The other is from California. So now she has a plan to get each of her tattoos in different states. Obviously she couldn't get another one in N.C. - now back to regularly scheduled programing*

... And since Dana and I were suppose to get tattooed together, I saw my out, and jumped on it. I wasn't getting one if she didn't. Whew, that was close!

However, the story does not end there.

Dana still really wanted her tattoo, after all this was the one that would honor her sweet little baby. So why don't we just go back to Virginia and get her tattoo? After all baby Brooklyn was born in Virginia! Hey hey hey, not so fast, she could get a tattoo in VA any 'ole day.

Where else would she want to get a tattoo to honor baby Brooklyn? Why, Brooklyn, NY of course! We joked about going to NY but I sort of blew it off.

(Note to self, Dana is not the kind that says something if she doesn't plan on actually doing it. Do not agree to do things with her and then think that she will not go through with plans.)

Well after we got home from Nags Head it seemed like everyone I talked to in my daily life had a tattoo and I began to regret not getting one while I was sitting in the tattoo parlor. Not to worry though, Dana had been quite serious. The NEXT day she called me with flight times from VA to NY on 6/23. She also had a call in to a local Brooklyn studio for two appointment times. Things were rolling.

And I was getting very excited!

Stay tuned to find out if we actually went through with this elaborate plan...

Not Me Monday

MckMama over at my charming kids started this wonderful therapy session for everyone to share their *best* moments of the past week on their blog. After you read my confessions, grab a snack & head on over to MckMama's. There will be lots to laugh at/with, some things to cringe over, and I guarantee you'll be saying "ME TOO!" by the time you leave.

Last night I did NOT stay up way past my bed time watching men in uniform clean up scum off the streets of my neighborhood. I do NOT live on a street with 2 cops within hollerin' distance in a very safe neighborhood. So seeing a drug bust was NOT entirely entertaining.

I did NOT make 2 desserts for our family reunion on Saturday where only 1 of them was cut into. I did NOT end up bringing 1 whole dessert home and about half of the other. I did NOT then rationalize having carrot cake for breakfast on Sunday since the ingredients include veggies, whole wheat flour, eggs, and cream cheese.

I did NOT change from a shorter dress into a long skirt on Sunday before going to church because I had forgotten to shave my legs. It's church for crying out loud! Who's going to be rubbing up against my legs? There was no reason to change and throw a perfectly good dress on top of the dirty clothes pile. I'm NOT that self conscious!

I did NOT end up throwing away some grapes just because I bought too much produce and did not eat it all before it went bad. I do NOT hate wasting money & food. I also did NOT add more grapes to the shopping list for this week.

Since this was the first week of summer break for me, I did NOT go back to sleep every single day after Aaron went to work. Nope, I got right up and got busy on my to-do list each day. That schedule did NOT cause me to stay in my pjs and unshowered until 4pm one day.

I did NOT make an appointment early last week to go get my swollen foot looked at. It had NOT been swollen for 2 weeks and I had NOT been so much of a smarta*s that I thought I could fix it by myself. I did NOT then have to wait 4 days before they could fit me in. I did NOT show up at the doctors office with a perfectly normal foot with no swelling. The doctor did NOT check my foot and say it looked just fine to her. I did NOT end up feeling like a dummy after all.

I do NOT have secret plans for tomorrow that involve me flying from VA to NY. I do NOT promise to share more on Wednesday. ;)

Lost & Found

We are going to a Keith Anderson concert tonight. Yesterday on the way to vet, I went to put his new CD, C'mon, in and it wasn't there. I made a mental note to get it out of Aaron's truck last night. But, when I looked in his truck, it wasn't there either! By that point I wasn't going to listen to it last night anyway, so I gave up.
This morning I was on a renewed mission to find it. I look through the pile of CDs that sit by the front door that rotate between our cars, and again, no CD. But I know it was there at some point last week because it was in my car last week.

Maybe Aaron got a new stack of CDs out of the bedroom and put some back. I go look at the CDs in the bed room. THERE IT IS!

I open it up.

It.
Is.
Empty!

I'm losing my mind!

After another 10 minutes looking for the CD, wanna know where I finally found it?

In the computer! That's where I was going to put it anyway!

Thankful Thursday

Head on over to Truth 4 the Journey for details if you want to participate.

1. I'm thankful that I have the means and ability to foster Great Danes that people can't care for anymore.

2. I'm thankful that my husband is so deeply committed to providing for us. He has worked a ton of overtime these last two weeks and I am thankful that he has that opportunity and willingly takes it.

3. I'm thankful that school is over and summer is here. I'm enjoying the free time already!

4. I'm thankful that I have a job set up for next year. With the budget cuts, some teachers were laid off. I was transferred to another school, but at least I still have a job to go back to in September!

5. I'm thankful that I will get to see some family from Arkansas this weekend while they are in town. We're even having a mini-family reunion.

*thanks Tina for introducing me to this wonderful way to remember all the things I'm thankful for each week!*

Pink Improv

I started my next quilt project over the weekend. In the quilts I've made so far, I haven't followed any published patterns, I just kind of make up my own and see what happens. But this is the ultimate do-your-own-thing project.

On Saturday I made my first improv block. Basically you just grab a handful of scraps and start sewing them together. I haven't been sewing too long so I don't have a bunch of scraps. I just used a bunch of fat quarters instead. The only requirement I had was that they all had to have pink in them.

I've done one so far and started the second. I'm itching to get some more done, but I've got some errands to do first today. Once I've got more of these done, I'll put them together with lots of white and make a quilt for a little girl. No two blocks will be the same, and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Almost Wordless Wednesday - What goes in, must come out

My car was completely loaded down for the 3rd trip from school to my garage. One of those trips was in Aaron's truck. The big tubs in the back are 18 gallons. Notice how I had to put the drivers seat headrest up to keep the oriental trading box in the back. Even the front passenger seat was full. WOW! Moving schools is serious business!

Get "Blessed"!

I know, I know... I just posted, but I have to show you what I just found! Vanessa is sponsoring a giveway to win this...

I'm not sure about you, but I could certainly use a daily reminder close to my heart that I am indeed blessed! Head on over to her blog right now so that you can enter for a chance to win. BUT be careful! When you go to Beki's Etsy shop to pick your favorite item you are likely to want to spend a ton of money!

*and I promise not to post AGAIN tonight!*

School's Out for Summer!

Today was the last day of school for the kids.

*side note - Who in the world makes the last day a Monday? And a half day at that?*

Only 11 kids showed up. The whole day seemed really quiet and calm. It was an excellent way to end the year. Except I missed all the kiddos who decided not to come. I haven't cried at all, but after I got home and finally had time to think, I realized that I am pretty sad this year is over. These kids definitely got a special place in my heart. I hope wonderful things happen to all of them!

Normally, I wouldn't be so sad about the end of the year. Normally I would just get to see the kids next year when they are in 1st grade and a mere 100 feet down the hall. But I'm transferring schools next year, AND this school is very transient, so there's a good chance I won't see these kids ever again. SAD!

~~~~~~~~
I spent the entire afternoon cleaning and packing my room. I ended up with 9 18 gallon tubs, 2 large cardboard boxes, 15 shoe-box-sized plastic tubs, 2 file crates and 3 plastic drawer towers full of stuff! Where did I get all that stuff? And as Aaron pointed out, did I actually use all that stuff? Yes I sure did!

Aaron came to school this afternoon to help me move most of it home. Only most of it since it all wouldn't fit in my car & his truck! I have to go back tomorrow and pick up the rest of it. What we did move home today moved into the garage. And in just a little over 6 weeks we have to move it all again... to my new school. Oh boy, I can't wait!

Not Me Monday

It's been awhile since I participated in Not Me Monday, but I'm ready to get back and confess all my less-than-stellar moments of the past week. MckMama over at my charming kids created this little Monday therapy session. It's great to get all this off my chest AND to go check out what everyone else did NOT do this past week. Go see for yourself!

Before going to the George Strait concert (which I've been looking forward to since January) I did NOT consume more wine than I should have. I then did NOT twitter about being on our way to the concert and spell Strait wrong! He's a legend for pete's sake, so I would never do that! Thank goodness I was all sobered up before George actually came on stage, but that's because I did NOT have too much wine.

On Saturday morning we were suppose to get our foster dog Wilson back. I did NOT pretend not to be home just so that I could get in a few hours of sewing without having to keep an eye on him constantly.

I did NOT go shopping at the Fresh Market (while I was hungry, another big mistake) and see some Mac & Cheese in the freezer section that looked super yummy. It was also called "The World's Best Mac & Cheese." So I did NOT put it in my cart and continue to shop. It was NOT only after checking out that I realized that 2 servings of Mac & Cheese just cost me $14. WTH? Hubby did NOT request that I actually take the time to check prices before buying stuff! haha

I did NOT then hype up this snobby Mac & Cheese expecting it to be the "World's Best" only to eat it and be completely disappointed. :(

Hubby was NOT teasing me so much (it was all in good fun) one night that I did NOT try to (playfully) throw the remote at him. And since I'm such a good thrower, the remote did NOT accidentally slip out of my hand before I had aimed it and hit my dog Clover in the snout. I did NOT feel like the absolute worst doggy mommy EVER! I did NOT give Clover a special treat and let her sleep with us that night. Good thing that did NOT happen because Aaron doesn't like it when dogs sleep in our room!

I am NOT more excited about school being over today than most of my students. Teachers love every minute of teaching and NEVER need a break! I am NOT so greatful that I have a job that has a natural reset button once a year.

I did NOT think "this will make a great Not Me Monday" several times during the week and then forget them before actually sitting down to write this post. I'm not old enough to be this forgetfull! Maybe this week I'll keep an on-going list!

my LONG story

Hilarious {to me at least} conversation had with hubby on the way to the George Strait concert Friday night.

... we were standing in the kitchen getting ready to leave and I told him that I had a story to tell him, but it was too LONG for right then, so I'd tell him when we got in the car.

We got in the car and hit traffic immediately because of an accident, so hubby ask me to wait to tell my LONG story after he navigated through the traffic and decided which tunnel to take. "No problemo babe!"

He finally gave me the go ahead to begin my LONG story, but I had thought of 2 questions in the mean time, so I ask my two questions. By this time, the suspense is beginning to drive hubby crazy.

We are finally on the interstate and I tell my LONG story... it takes less than a mile (going 60 mph) for me to tell my entire LONG story. At the end I say, "well, I guess it wasn't so much long as we just needed to leave right then."

Hubby looks at me and says "As far as your stories go, that wasn't LONG it really wasn't even short, I'd probably classify that as a poem."

Hysterical laughter ensued from my passenger seat.

June 10th - historically - Wordless Wednesday

I hereby certify that I was born

We are going to apply for our passports tomorrow. Our cruise is in August, so we're already pushing it a little and will have to pay the extra $60 each to get them here in time. So tonight when I thought I had lost my birth certificate I had a minor meltdown.

Turns out my goofy husband had just completely skipped over it when he was looking through the documents in the lock-box. Whew! Crisis averted!


*Disclaimer - hubby was not referred to as "goofy" in the heat of the search, but we are already looking back on it and laughing ... well maybe just a little smirk*

"I'm right where I need to be"

Today was a crazy one. We had our end of the year party at school. The kids had way too many snacks with just a touch too much sugar apparently. I tried to keep it on the healthy side (we had plain popcorn, pretzel sticks, graham crackers, 1/2 a banana, 2 Hershey kisses, and a butter cookie), but maybe it was just all the excitement that got to them! It also may not have helped that I had a big important meeting right after school that was keeping me from staying in the moment.

My meeting was with the principal I will be working for next year. I had heard good things about the school, but nothing specifically about her AND I didn't know what grade I would be teaching. Not knowing whether I would be in Kindergarten again or shuffled up to 3rd grade was really worrying me.

By the time I got to the new school I had calmed myself down because really, there's nothing I can do about it if it turns out to be terrible. But as soon as I walked in I could tell that I have nothing to worry about. The folks in the office seem absolutely delightful. The principal and I actually have a lot of things in common and we know some of the same folks from my high school and the town where I grew up. It's a small world! She took me on a tour and the classrooms are really nice. She showed me where she *thinks* I will be down on the KINDERGARTEN hall! (Praise God!) I'll definitely be in Kindergarten, she's just not completely sure right now which room.

Overall, I just felt right at home the moment I walked into the school. What a great way to kick off my weekend! God is faithful!

P.S. I'm going to the beach tomorrow for Dana's birthday and there will be pictures when I get back... probably Sunday :) stay tuned

P.P.S. The title is a reference to a Gary Allan song. Dana is in love with Gary AND we saw him last weekend so I've got him right up front in my brain.

my sis & goodie bags

You gotta love a sister who sends you a postcard just because she knows you like to get mail. And I sure do love my little sis!

Just a postcard to say "I'm thinking of you!" How sweet!

We are having our end of the year party at school tomorrow, even though there will still be 6 days left. I put together goodie bags for each kid and we are having a "party" which really comes down to an extended snack time with fancier snacks.

All the goodie bags taking up my entire kitchen table.

The contents of the goodie bag: A Little Critter Book, a wooden puzzle to color and put back together, a snazy pair of $1 sun glasses (these will likely fall apart within 48 hours, but the kids will LOVE them), a pencil & tiny notebook.

I can't believe the end is so close. There is so much to get done in the next 10 days that I'm stressing myself out like never before. I've been getting tension headaches on a near daily basis for the last week. And those things only make me want to come home and sleep... NOT go through my grade book! I've also had serious neck and shoulder pain from being tensed up all the time. Tomorrow I'm going to visit my new school for next year and meet the principal. I'm sure that's not adding a single ounce of tension to my stress though ;)

Packing it all up and moving to another school for next year...