Best day ever....recently anyway.

Worked 10 full, successful hours

Drove safely to and from work

Kiddos had done dishes, laundry and vacuumed (my personal favorite)

Made my children's favorite dinner. (Chickety China the Chinese Chicken, steamed squash, watermelon)

Phone date with the love of my life ♥

Bubble bath with cherry blossom bubbles.....*note, the Bath and Body Works Big Sale begins 6-10*

Board game with Zach and Dolly ( Zooreka, tons of fun and I got the hippo enclosure. I LOVE HIPPOS!)

Laughing about dog poop, dry heaves, and emotional damage with Jake

Blissful, night-sweat free sleep

Jealous?

Graduation Part Deux

Jakey graduated last night. I am filled with conflicting emotions, much as every other mother sitting in the stands.

 As I watch his hulking, 6 ft 4 frame bounce towards the outstretched hands of well wishers, I am really seeing a little boy who loves popsicles and legos, who likes to have story time with his mom, watch cooking shows, and be excited over garlic tools for his birthday. I see a 5 year old that was so painfully shy he would hide behind my legs at family parties so as to not have to engage people in chit chat. (He still cannot tolerate bullcrap conversation).

 I see a young man, so special, good, and funny, that he moved his third grade teacher, Mr. Calendar, to tears trying to describe his potential and his gratitude for having him in class.

I see a young man in his struggle to be who he is as opposed to what countless people are telling him he should be and having the vision and courage to stand up for himself and what he believes in.

I see a man...beginning his journey without his mom.

I also see relief for the mom who no longer has to call and haul his butt out of bed to make sure he doesn't have another un excused absence. I see her pride that he has earned a SCHOLASTIC DIPLOMA because, truly, he is a badass. I see a mom missing her son and their shared love of all things ridiculous, of lying in bed watching the Big Bang Theory, of reading The Best of Craig's List and listening to jokes that one should really not tell their mom. I see a mom pretending to be asleep when her very responsible son makes it home before curfew because she cannot sleep until he is home safe but doesn't want him to know it. I see a mom, kicking her son out into the world, watching with pride and crying as she does it.

I love this boy....man. Well done Jakey. I believe in you. XO

Graduation!!!!

I did it! I really, truly, did it. Yay me. I am thankful to my children and Seann for their patience whilst I wondered through the pitfalls of higher education.

 I am thankful that they never said "REALLY?" when I hassled them about procrastinating their homework until the last second and then was stressed out and grumpy because I did the same thing.

I am thankful to my mother for setting the example that earning one's education, even a little later in life, could prove to be the saving grace of one's family.

I am thankful to my employer for paying for my degree.

I am thankful to the Vava's for knowing that I would glitter my mortar board even before I did and for taking me to our favorite breakfast spot to celebrate with eggs and Diet Coke.

And I am thankful to the Love of My Life for celebrating me in his own, quiet way and making me feel like I was invincible. XOXOX

Masters of Science in Psychology...here I come.

Graduation and Flowers

Today was my last day of my Bachelors of Science in Communications Degree. That's right, at age 41, I am finally completing my degree.

 I find it ridiculous to think that I had a 14 years as a stay at home mom with time to actually go to school and never did. It took a divorce, single parenthood, a new, full time job and the prospect of a disaster looming on the horizon to add full time student to my title. At a time when I had NO TIME, I chose to add 15-20 hours a week to my schedule in homework, reading and paper writing. I have sat at ball games, highlighting communications theories between batters, used the light of my cell phone to read chapters of mythology and religion while waiting for a movie to start, turned down offers of fun to write a paper on ancient Greece and procrastinated until the last possible second to complete an assignment under the guise of me 'working better under pressure'.

In my work, I talk people who were just like me and afraid of being unsuccessful in school or adding another chore to their already busy lives. Today, one of those students, an outstanding woman named Angie, recognized my achievement by sending me this gorgeous flower arrangement and a box of chocolates to work. The card was simple and congratulated me on reaching my goal. When I called to thank her, she told me that it was important to mark the day and celebrate my degree.

Thanks you Angie, for recognizing my hard work. Thank you for bringing me to tears and making me feel like I had done something worthwhile and worth recognizing me. I appreciate you and hope you will be around to talk me through my Masters of Science in Psychology as well. I am going to need it.

PS~ Graduation is April 30. Pictures will follow. YAY ME!!!!

Bullies

I may not be religious any more, having chosen to let go of the faith in which I was raised. (That is a whole 'nother story that brings up a conversation about POSERS and very "righteous, influential people" throwing rocks from their own glass living rooms, but alas, that is for a different day.) Bullies are people who feel happy when other people feel bad. They may have had some sort of traumatic incident in their childhood precipitating these episodes of anti-social behavior, but let's get out my childhood and compare notes, shall we? I may not always be the best behaved girl in the world...I am loud, opinionated (but less so as I get older), and oblivious sometimes, but I mean well. Mostly. At work, we have to participate in trainings about sexual harrassment and corporate compliance with the bottom line being INTENT DOES NOT MATTER. You may not intend to offend someone with a comment, but if they are offended, your perplexed butt will be hauled in to HR so fast it will make your head spin. "Do not gather your things dear, we will do it for you. Now about what you said to so and so......." But..I digress. I have been being bullied for years. You would think that with the mouth and the opinions, I would handle this sort of thing well, but nope. I do not like confrontation. I don't like to hurt people's feelings and I don't like them to hurt mine. I just want everyone to share their toys and go home from the playground tired and happy. There is always one kid in the box that likes to throw sand that messes it up for everyone. I am about to being backed into a corner of the sandbox and am having to make a choice I don't want to make. I want people to get along. I want people to do what is best for others sometimes and not themselves, I want people to wake up, look around them and see that their actions are hurting people around them who can only stand, gobsmacked, and watch as thier favorite tos are kicked and smashed to smithereens. The intent, I have hoped for some time, is that the bully is stupid. Now I think not. Now I think the bully is worse than stupid, the bully is sinister. The bully has intentions of which I know nothing if I am being truthful but you know what bully? INTENT DOES NOT MATTER. You watched the compliance videos too. Yeah, today pretty much sucked.

Snish or snow-ish.

I love this girl. She makes me smile every day. She is messy, forgetful and a complete procrastinator. She is also funny, intelligent, gifted, kindhearted, brave, generous and beautiful. She is my perfect Dolly, Peanut Butter, Sister, Saturday Night Live date night watching, toenail painting, singing in the shower, baby girl.

Me, my sister Stacey and Dolly drove to the snow.....or we thought we were driving to the snow. Instead we found 'snish' or snow...ish. As we were taking pictures, I asked Dolly to come take one of me and the Snarf. "Ok," she sang, "but I am not going to be very good at it." She was right, she was amazing, PLUS, made us laugh until we almost tinkled. Love you so so so Peanut Butter. XO

♥♥Valentine's Day ♥♥

Tradition states that Valentine's day at our home involves heart shaped cookies with names written on them for everyone. This year was no exception, except that Zach has turned out to be a BOMB.COM helper.

Also, tradition, as it turns out, means that I am going to blow off my paper due tonight. I am justifying this blatant disregard for rules and authority by telling myself that it is only worth 5 points and that I only have 7 weeks of school left until I have my BS/COM. Please, feel free to comment with your support. :)

LOVES! XO

Academic Decathlon

Academic Decathlon is a big deal in our family. This past weekend, Mountain View won regionals for the second year in a row. I am certain that in years past, this has been a dignified event. I know, because I was here last year too when Jake was the only junior on the team. It was filled with polite cheering during the SuperQuiz when the school of a persons choice held up their talisman. It all changed when we showed up. :)

Last year at the State Championship, (which we won), I brought a cowbell and a drumstick. When our team held up 'Holy Cow' I banged the crap out of that bell, much to the chagrin of the family on front of me. I thought Jake would kill me when it was over....but I found out at Nationals in Nebraska (we took second), that the team was disappointed we hadn't brought it with us! I wouldn't make that mistake again.

This year for regionals, I enlisted Kimball as well and like the proud father he is, showed up with cowbells for every member of his family. We made some NOISE! It worked....we won. I am sure that it was all because of us.

Way to go Jakey! We are so proud of you.

Sick

Ok, so what better time to catch up than when you are dying? Not actually dying, just cannot stop spinning and feeling like throwing up all over your rumply sheets kind of dying. This is day 2 home from work and I know that sounds like a bonus, but it is not, and here is why.

I love my job. I love that people call me terrified and needing help and in a sick, twisted way, that gives me my jollies. Speaking of sick and twisted, the people I work with are FANTASTIC. I love them too. I had no idea that when I was a stay at home mom, there were such interesting, compassionate, funny as hell people outside of my comfy circle. So here is a shout out to the people with whom I spend more time than my family every week;

Shawn, Stacie, Michael, Kyle, Joe, PT, Hunter, Barb, Jen, Sony, Brian, Butch, Bruce, Lance, Younglbood, Brad, Carmelyn, Brett, Bart, Stacey, Christina, Rafael, Jo, Kodi, Maria, Kevin, Adam, Melaine and Jason Grayson. (That is really his name and he is awesome.)

Now....I am going to throw up and take a nap.