Category Archives: Day to Day… and Off the Subject!

Quotes from the Conference Room:

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Okay, so part of my job is to sit in on meetings and keeping a straight face… can’t go into more detail than that.

However, I can tell you that some of the things I hear during these meetings are priceless – PRICELESS! I have put together a list of my favorite quotes below. Some of them I understand others I have no idea what they mean, but they made me laugh.

  • “It’s like pulling teeth from a rhinoceros.”
  • “It’s like giving a vasectomy to an elephant.”
  • “It’s like taking your sister to the prom.”
  • “Oh come on, that makes about as much sense as using an anchor for a life-raft!”
  • “If you wonder off for coffee, please take a horse.”
  • “Bad news doesn’t get better with age.”
  • “It’s as far-fetched as Moby Dick!”
  • “You can’t be a sweat gland over everything.”
  • “Let’s not kick this can down the road any longer because my toes already hurt.”
  • “Let’s not get to deep into the weeds.”
  • “It’s like a cow peeing on a flat rock out there.”
  • “If your aunt had balls she’d be your uncle.”
  • “I’d bet the dime to the donut.”
  • “Let’s talk some turkey here.”

I’d love to hear the quotes that made you go “Hu?” or just laugh out loud. So, I challenge you now – Reply to this post with the funniest, craziest, most bazaar, or absurd quotes you’ve every heard!

Just have FUN!!!

Summer Then & Now

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Summer time used to be a time of running around in the sprinklers and riding my bike for hours before finally running into the house truly exhausted and collapsing on the living room floor. Mom would tell me to clean up for dinner and my sister and I would lay there laughing.

Then summer became a time of sleep overs with friends, hanging out at the mall and dating.

When college came around summer meant more school, working full-time and producing theatre with a group of friends, and of course dating!

Now, summer is better than I could have ever imagined it to be. I’m a mom do I finally get to ride my bike and take walks again. I get to run through the sprinklers with my kids and spray them with the hose while the run around screaming and laughing. We eat Popsicles on the porch and sing in the back yard. Then when the day is over we can collapse in the floor of the living room in laughter. Sure I still have to work full-time but somehow it doesn’t seem as tiring as it used to. Now I just enjoy the time I have with my family and I don’t worry about the rest!

That’s what makes my summer so special. What do you love about summer?

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Road Kill

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The dictionary defines road kill as A killing of an animal on the road by a vehicle.

My questions is this, are we so desensitized to death that an animal suffering or dead on the side of the road affects us so minutely that we would give it such an insensitive mundane and thoughtless name as road kill?

I was driving the other day with my children in the car and there on the side of the road was a dog. Dead. Legs straight up to the sky and it’s neck cocked to the side at an obviously unnatural angle. Luckily my children were looking the other way and I was able to avoid their questions. I can handle the questions about death; What happens when the dog dies?, How did it die?, etc.

What I can’t deal with is the questions about who killed it and why! Because honestly why did the dog have to die? I am with the next guy I’m not going to swerve out of the way and risk the lives of my children or myself to save a snake, armadillo, squirrel, cat, or dog. The life of the animal isn’t as important to me as the lives of my children. But that doesn’t mean I don’t mourn the death of every animal I pass on the side of the road.

I’m not an overly religious person. That is to say I don’t go to church every Sunday, but I do have a church I enjoy and I do pray. And every time I see an animal on the side of the road a say a silent prayer, “Dear God please let that precious (Insert animal)’s soul run through the fields of heaven for all eternity.” or fly though the sky’s of heaven if it happens to be a bird.

The thing that got me the most about seeing that sweet innocent dog on the side of the road wasn’t that it was dead, because accidents happen, but how it was laying there. It looked as if someone hit it and just keep going without a care in the world. How can anyone take a life so easily and not even care? I get that you can’t just load up your trunk with all the road kill in an effort to give them all a proper burial, but what you can do when you hit an animal is move it off the road, lay it down respectfully and leave it with a little dignity. Maybe even take it to the vet if it isn’t hurt to badly or stay with it during its last moments so it doesn’t have to die alone.

Yes their just animals but don’t animals have feelings too?

Just my thoughts. What are yours?

Selecting a Child Care Facility

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How to select the right Child Care facility – Answers from a Child Care Director!

(NOTE: The presence of the logos above does not indicate support in the centers)

There are a thousand child care centers to choose from, so how do you pick the right one? Okay, I get that selecting a child care facility isn’t quite the same thing as selecting where you want to go to college or what your future career is going to be, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the most important decisions you will make.

Honestly, I was pretty passive about selecting my college. I went where my sister went, and didn’t really think twice about it. But, selecting the child care center where my children would attend, that was harder. Not only are these people (whom you don’t know) going to care for your child and teach your child they are most likely going to be with your child more during his/her waking hours than you are five days out of the week. You can’t just select a child care center at random. You have to make sure you are 100% comfortable with the facility and staff because they will soon become like family to your little one.

There are some very important questions you should ask when ever interviewing a child care facility. And yes, I do mean interviewing. You shouldn’t be going in trying to be accepted by them. It is the Center Director’s responsibility to prove to you that they are good enough for you, not the other way around. So, questions you should ask, and answers you should hear:

(1) Is the facility safe and secure? Child care centers should be locked from the outside at all times. Parents should have a code to get into the building or be buzzed in. This ensures the safety of the safe and all the children in the center.

(2) Does the facility utilize an education based curriculum? Okay, I know it may sound silly to want your child to have a curriculum at say 6 months, but there have been studies to prove that children that start in an early education facility at a young age, even infancy, will do better in their later education years. Yes, my children both went to centers with a curriculum. My kids were doing sign language at 9 months, singing their ABCs between 18-20 months, and talking in complete sentences before they were 2. I am a firm believer that children need to be stimulated regularly with music, colors, books, paint, etc.

(3) Is the facility licensed through the Department of Human Resources? Every state has an organization that regulates what child care facilities are allowed to do and have in the center. Check out the Minimum Standards set up by the Alabama Department of HR at http://nrckids.org/STATES/AL/al_all.pdf. This covers everything including but not limited to: equipment in the classrooms, teacher to student ratio, procedures for illnesses, etc. In my state it is called the Department of Human Resources, you may want to do a little online research to see what state department regulates child care facilities in your state. With that said, I do not recommend enrolling your child in a facilities that is not licensed through the Department of HR or equivalent. If a center is affiliated with a church it is not required to be license, as well you may find some in home centers are not licensed. But, don’t just assume one way or the other. Make sure you ask!

(4) Can I see your most recent Department of Human Resources evaluation? Okay, this only applies if the answer to number 3 above was yes. If they are licensed then their most recent evaluation/inspection report should be prominently displayed in the main area where you and anyone else that is interested can read it. Look on the front page under DEFICIENCIES. This is the most important section. You want to look for things like: Student to Teacher Ratio not followed, Students left unattended, Director of the center is not qualified, Health Hazards, etc. When you see deficiencies on the report make sure you ask the Center Director to explain them to you, and make sure you feel 100% comfortable with his/her explanation before just moving on to the next part of the tour.

(5) Is the facility accredited? That’s right I said accredited. Child Care Facilities just like schools can get academic accreditations. This goes back to number 2 above when you asked about a curriculum. Elementary Schools, High Schools, and Colleges all seek accreditation. That is how you know they are worthy of your attendance. Child Care Centers do the same thing. The most common child care accreditation is NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) http://www.naeyc.org/. Child Care Centers can also obtain accreditation through AdvancEd http://www.advanc-ed.org/. AdvanceEd is the ideal education accreditation. Any center with a current accreditation from AdvancEd has proven themselves as a leader in the education field. Doesn’t your child deserve every advantage he/she can get?

(6) Does the center serve a well-balanced meal plan? Child Care centers, for the safety of your child and every other child in the facility should provide snacks and meals for every student. That doesn’t mean it always happens. A lot of centers make the parents pack a lunch and bring in snacks every day. My feeling is that the cost of meals should be an expense the center takes on. This ensures every child is served a healthy well-balanced meal each day – Double check the centers menu though, you don’t want to just take their word for it. You shouldn’t see a lot of cookies, juice, or sweets on the menu. Those types of things should be the occasional item for special occasions. Look for a vegetable, fruit, and a main dish to include a protein, along with milk at lunch. You should be seeing a nutritious breakfast snack and a light afternoon snack. Your child shouldn’t have to go all afternoon without eating. Centers should also provide occasional snacks if the children get hungry between meals. Kids eat more when they are going through growth spurts – make sure the center can accommodate.

(7) Lastly, and this isn’t really a question, but more an observation you should make as you tour the facility. Do the teachers talk to you and make you feel welcome as you enter their classroom? If they don’t make you feel welcome what makes you think they will act any differently when your child comes in each day. Is the Center Director/Assistant Director knowledgable about the center, the state/federal regulations, education, and child care in general? Ask a lot of questions and find out just how much the management team really knows. They need to be the experts because they are the ones that are going to ensure your child’s safety, education, and treatment. Make sure the managers are qualified and that you are 100% comfortable with the fact that they will be in charge of how your child is treated each and every day. Is the staff (management and teaching staff) educated? Just because they are teaching children between the ages of 6 weeks and Pre-Kindergarden doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be educated. The best early education facilities are hiring teachers even for the infant classrooms. Your child’s teacher should have a minimum of a high school education and at least three to four years experience in child care. However, preferably, and especially for the children that are 2 years and older the teachers should have a minimum of an early education degree or a related field (or going to school currently for a degree in education or a related field).

So, these are just a few things you need to look for when searching for the perfect center. If you have questions about other child care related issues feel free to comment and ask. I worked in the child care industry as a center Director and I would be happy to share my knowledge.

Public Bathroom Etiquette

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Call them etiquette… protocol… even good manners, but there are some basic rules everyone should follow when they’re in a public restroom. I live by them and I wish everyone else around me would too, but sadly most people tend to ignore them causing others to be unnecessarily uncomfortable during their bathroom excursion.

 

Rule #1 – Everyone is a stranger in the bathroom! This means I don’t want to talk to you and I don’t want you to talk to me. The last thing I want to hear, after sitting down to take a pee is someone calling my name. Those thin little bathroom-stall walls are there to give the illusion of privacy, even though it isn’t real. Everyone needs to play along and pretend that those little walls are real walls.

Rule #2 – Watch where you’re peeing! Okay, this seems like it should be pretty obvious, but apparently there are a lot of ladies out there that just can’t seem to get it all in the toilet. How a grown woman can manage to get pee all over the seat and floor is beyond me. However, the better question is how does a grown woman get it all over the seat and floor and then decide not to wipe it off before leaving the stall? Yuck!!! Clean up after yourselves ladies.

Rule #3 – Leave an open stall! Have you ever gone into a public bathroom and found yourself the only one there? Yeah, it’s pretty great. You have your pick of the stalls, and of course you pick the farthest one against the back wall so that you have the most amount of privacy – just in case someone comes in. Not even five seconds after you sit down you hear the bathroom door open, “that’s okay, there are plenty of stalls” you think to yourself. But NO – this lady decides that the only stall in the room good enough for her is the one directly next to yours! WTF!!! With ten open stalls she picks the only one next to yours?! What is that? Leave an open stall between you and your closest bathroom neighbor whenever possible. One open stall is the minimum – more is always better. This rule applies to men using the urinals too!

  Rule #4 – Wash your hands! Everyone is watching you – and you better believe if you don’t wash your hands someone is going to be talking about you to their friends as soon as you leave. Its gross ladies, so wash your hands. It only takes thirty seconds to turn on the hot water, scrub your hands with soap and rinse… plus it saves lives, or at least kills germs.

Okay, that is my bathroom rant. Have a wonderful day.

Kids in the Kitchen

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Okay, I’m going to admit something that I’m not all that proud of… Wait for it… I don’t cook! There, I said it. Now we can move on.

I guess I should explain. It isn’t that I don’t cook, because I do. It’s just that I have a few dishes that I am really comfortable making and I kind of get stuck making the same things over and over. Which, of course is boring, for my husband, for my kids, and of course for me. In the end it leads to my husband doing most of the cooking. Besides he is a pretty picky eater, he prefers his own cooking, and he is actually a really good cook. Therefore, I have learned, over the years, not to take it personally and instead to just feel lucky that my husband wants to do the cooking.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not totally incompetent in the kitchen. I actually love to bake. Though my husband doesn’t really eat sweets. That leaves me and the kids to finish every brownie, cake, cupcake, pie, etc. Therefore, I am now on a diet. Isn’t life grand.

You might be wondering how this blog ties into the title of ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ well, let me tell you. With my kids getting older I would have hoped to have more time to spend with them one on one, but that isn’t the case. Between working full-time; carpooling the kids to school, daycare, t-ball, girl scouts, week-end playdates, the park, shopping, and everywhere else; my theatre, my husbands golf, etc., etc., etc. there is little time to just sit and relax enjoying some mommy time with the kids. The kitchen then becomes a  place to catch up on what my kids did during school and all the other great parts of their day.

So, my challenge to myself, and to all of you is this… wait for it…

Spend some quality ‘KIDS IN THE KITCHEN’ time over the next few weeks. I have given a few great recipes below that are easy to make, and even more fun to make with your kids. Start easy, make it fun, but always remember safety comes first in the kitchen. Follow my three easy rules of the kitchen:

(1) No kids by the stove!!! Depending on their hight they may not be able to see that the stove is hot, and it only takes a second to burn their little hands.

(2) Wash your hands!!! Kids put their hands everywhere and don’t always remember to wash them. The first thing you should do when starting to cook with kids is wash your hands and theirs, and its alright to wash them again throughout the cooking process if needed.

(3) Have FUN!!! Cooking with kids should be fun, and its okay if it’s a little messy. Brooms, vacuums, even dogs are great for clean-up. Enjoy your time and don’t worry about the mess until the end.

Now, what should you make? Good questions. Like I said, start easy. If you’ve never cooked with your kids before then pick up a box of Kraft macaroni & cheese Deluxe. You boil the water and make sure the noodles are all cooked and drained, and the rest is up to the kids. It’s really just two easy steps:

(1) squeeze the Cheese

(2) Stir, Stir, Stir

My kids have so much fun making this dinner. One gets to be the cook and the other gets to dish out the food onto the plates.

So, you think you’re ready for some more elaborate dishes? Good, I have just the thing. I picked up a great cookbook for kids and have found that the dishes are pretty easy to make and actually really yummy for kids of all ages.

(1) Berry and Yogurt parfait for Breakfast – This one is great because there is NO COOKING involved, and the kids can create it anyway they want. All you need is vanilla yogurt, fresh or frozen mixed berries, and granola. Let your kids put it together in their bowl in layers or mixed all together. Either way they’ll have fun and get a healthy breakfast too.

(2) Monkey Bread – This sticky treat is sure to put a smile on your kids faces for breakfast or just a mid day snack. You will need 1/2 cup of butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans (and a couple of tablespoons finely chopped), 2.5 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, sweet white bread rolls (store-bought frozen rolls work just fine), a little all-purpose flour, and a bundt pan. Your going to melt a little butter and brush it all over the inside of the bundt pan. Then mix  together the brown sugar, 1/2 cup of pecans, and cinnamon – Set it aside. Sprinkle the rest of the pecans over the bottom of the pan! Now place the thawed rolls on a lightly floured surface and then roll the rolls through melted butter, and then into the brown-sugar mixture. As you do this place each roll into the pan. You may have to work to make them all fit, but they will! Now, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees for about 5 minutes then turn the oven off. You will cover the dough and let it rise, in the warm oven, for about an hour. Remove the pan from the oven and pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake until richly browned and a toothpick comes out clean (about 30-35 minutes.). Let cool for 5 minutes and serve warm. Remember – let your kids do everything that doesn’t involve the oven, that part is for you mom!

(3) Crescent-Wrapped Hot Dogs – for lunch. Remember pigs in a blanket? This is more like hogs in a comforter because they are bigger and more filling. So, you will need store-bought crescent rolls (I like Pillsbury), All-purpose flour for dusting, shredded cheese – if your kids like it, hot dogs, and of course condiments for dipping: ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, etc. First lay out wax paper all over your kitchen table, and sprinkle with a light dusting of flour. Then unroll the crescent. this is the time to let you kids sprinkle on the cheese if they want, and roll up their dogs! More cheese can be added to the outside if they want. Bake the hot dogs until the dough is golden brown 10-13 minutes at 350 degrees. When they’re done take them out of the oven and allow to cool slightly and serve warm. Your kids will love putting them together and then tearing them apart as they eat them up.

(4) Nutty Caramel Apples – Snack. Okay this one is messy, but oh so yummy. You will need: Apples, Chopped Pecans, and 1 container of soft caramel dip. Mom you’ll want to cover the table in wax paper because caramel can be a little hard to clean. Then, slice up a few apple, any will do. Give the kids the apple slices to dip them half way into the caramel (you can also use chocolate), then they will roll the caramel-coated part of the apple in the nuts. You will want to help them press the nuts gently into the caramel to help them stay on better. Line all of the apple slices onto a wax paper lined baking sheet and let stand until the caramel has set, normally about 10 minutes (Some brands need to be cooled in the refrigerator to set). Then, ENJOY!!!

I hope you and your little ones have fun in the kitchen!!!

Aging Gracefully?

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I had a dream last night, and it wasn’t pleasant. It all started with my sister, my brother-in-law, my husband, and of course me. We were at my high school reunion. Why my sister who graduated a year before me was there I have no idea. But, the rest of her class was there too, so I suppose we had our reunions together, whatever!

The reunion started out fine, but then suddenly as I took a bite of the baked cod in front of me, I lost a tooth. Yeah, a tooth! I smiled (closed mouth) nodded toward the bathroom and made a graceful exit. Once in the bathroom I looked at my reflection with horror as I saw the wrinkled gray haired woman staring back at me and suddenly all of my teeth were loose in my mouth and began to fall out. I frantically made my way to our table pulled my husband out of his seat and dragged him out to the car without a word.

I woke up and quickly threw my hands to my mouth feeling tooth by tooth to ensure they were all still there and secure in there rightful spots. They were! And in the mirror I found the same familiar reflection I always see. Thank you God!

So, what did my dream mean and why? I can only speculate but I would say ‘fear of growing old’. I’m not old or at least not old for my age. I don’t go to bed at 7pm and wake up at 4am to read the paper and sit on the rocking chair on the porch to watch the sun come up. Side thought – porch rocking chairs need to go during the next garage sale! I don’t want to be ‘that’ old lady.

I don’t actually feel old, or maybe I’m just suppressing those feelings. I can see how a dream like this could lead woman to tummy tucks, face lifts, Botox, and the all to noticeable breast enhancement! “No honey don’t get excited I’m not getting a boob job!”

So what can I take away from this dream? Who knows, but I will say one thing, next year when I my 20 year high school reunion comes along (yes 20 years – don’t do the math!) I refuse to be the grey haired old woman out on the dance floor. I don’t have a single gray hair now (and no I don’t dye my hair) and I plan to stay that way! Wrinkles? Sure we all get them but I still think I look young for my age and besides all my classmates are aging too, right?

I Quit!

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It’s taken me a while to really figure out how to put this blog into words. Probably because I’m still not 100% sure how I feel about this new change in my life, but that is neither here nor there… What’s done is done and it is for the best.

For the last four years I have been the proud, enthusiastic, energetic, organized, willing, and devoted Director of the Bailey Cove Child Development Center. However, on Friday February 3, 2012 I worked my last day at the school. It was a sad goodbye but I leave it in good hands as my amazing Assistant Director is still at the helm leading the way with the new center Director.

Although I miss my staff, who I still consider family I look forward to seeing them daily as a parent instead of as a boss. My new role is not only scary and challenging but also exciting. I am excited about the new ways I can help and encourage growth at the school.

With that said, why did I leave? Good question! Growth and career advancement. I was given an opportunity that I just couldn’t turn down. I guess that happens sometimes in life, and I was afraid that if I turned this chance down then it wouldn’t come back around. I am the new Director of Business Development at JSA http://www.jsafed.com http://www.jsafed/Wordpress.com. My role encompasses more than just bringing in new contracts and growing the business. I will be developing new social media communication lines for our customers, publishing industry relevant articles on our blog, conducting government and commercial training in areas such as HR, LR and so much more.

So yes, change is hard. But, in a world where everything is constantly moving change is a necessity!

 

To Sum Up 2011…

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Okay, lots of people do this (I’m not the first) but this year I finally decided to jump off the bridge too… So, here goes!

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Took my kids to Disney, sent my little girl to kindergarten, and finished my first two novels.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I actually don’t remember what they were for 2011, but I have already made more this year, and am right on track.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes. My husband lost his father. ‘We miss you Stephen’

5. What countries did you visit? Only the US. I traveled a bit, mostly D.C.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? More Time… time with my husband, family time, me time, etc.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? August 8th, my daughter’s first day of kindergarten. It was a really hard day, but also very wonderful.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Finishing my novel. I still have a long ways to go (more edits, submissions, etc.) before I can even hope to get it published, but I finished and that makes me very proud.

9. What was your biggest failure? I promised I would take more photos and videos of my kids, and although I took more than the year before, I didn’t take as many as I had hoped.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Not really. I few minor interior body issues, but everything turned out fine.

11. What was the best thing you bought? I’m not really a big spender so I don’t really know. Maybe my Coach purse if I’m talking for me, but most likely my family membership to the Botanical Gardens, because of the added family time.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My husband Eric’s – He is truly the most amazing husband a girl could ask for. When I had to be out of town he was on the ball taking care of the kids, when my mom had a surprise retirement party he didn’t even hesitate to say we should make the 12 hour drive to be there… no matter how much typing time I needed, or how stressed I got he keep a positive attitude and supported me all the way.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Can’t name names, but there have been a few!

14. Where did most of your money go? Mortgage. Gotta love owning a house, but come on does it really have to cost that much?!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? There were new movies, new books, and most recently the cool little cupcake / tart maker I got for Christmas.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011? There are many, and since I can’t remember a single title… you’ll just have to believe we have a CD in my car that the kids force me to listen to ALL THE TIME!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, but getting into shape
c) richer or poorer? Same, but saving

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Taken more outings with the kids. Which is odd because we were busier this year doing stuff then ever from t-ball to girl scouts, to the Botanical Gardens, etc. I guess the more you have the more you want.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Thinking about my dirty house. I wish I could Afford someone to clean (I keep things picked up, I just don’t clean) – STOLEN FROM KIM

20. How did you spend Christmas? We spent it with Eric’s family. Then my family visited for New Year’s and we did it all over again. It was wonderful.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011? I love my husband more and more every day. Its as if I fall in love with him again and again every morning.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Hart of Dixie, Supernatural (but I’m over it now), Eureka, hmm… I know there was more, oh well.

23. This question has been deleted because it’s SOOO teenage emo Xanga shit. (This is what Sarah replaced #23 with and I’m too lazy to look up the original question and I kinda like how she rephrased it anyway. She’s funny, that Sarah.) (I second Kim – To lazy to look up the original question. I figure if Sarah didn’t like it I don’t need to read it!)

24. What was the best book you read? Well crap, I read like 24 books in 2011. There wasn’t even a day I didn’t have a book I was reading. There is no way I can answer this one.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? My husband is the musical lover in the family. I don’t discover he just throws them at me and if they stick he burns them for me if not they fall away.

26. What did you want and get? A money tree, but sadly they don’t make them.

27. What did you want and not get? Sick, and I didn’t so woohoo for me.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? Bridesmaids, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Terrible Bosses, etc. Do I really have to pick just one? I’m sure there were a hundred others.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 36 and I had a normal date night with my hubby, dinner and a movie.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Seeing my family more – the ones that live far away. The 12 hour drive isn’t something that we can do very often.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? I’m pretty conservative in my fashion sense. I don’t feel like I can be all crazy with my style because of work, and therefore I find my self buying mostly browns, blacks, tans, etc… Very bland. I need to be more fashion aware in 2012… Wow, a new goal.

32. What kept you sane? Writing. When I felt stressed I would go to a quiet room and type. I guess I was stressed a lot in 2012 (ALL WORK RELATED) I mean, I did finish a novel.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Matt Damon – I gotta be honest he is yummy, and so amazingly talented! Don’t worry, my husband knows I have a celebrity crush on him. lol

34. What political issue stirred you the most? I avoid politics will all my power. Maybe that is bad, but most of it just makes me mad.

35. Who did you miss? My family. They are just to far away.

36. Who was the best new person you met? Honestly, I didn’t really meet anyone new this year. My husband and I kind of live in a cave. This year my goal is to meet more couples that we can hang out with together. We need a social life, but honestly if my friends aren’t going to want to be my husband’s friends then they aren’t for me. Also, I saw some of my so called ‘friends’ for who they really were this year, and they would definitely not be on the ‘best new person’ list.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011. I guess it would be that every second counts, and you can be stripped from this world as easily as you were brought into it. You have to live life to the fullest while you can.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream.

Explanation: I work in childcare! No further explanation needed.

A Warm Welcome to 2012!

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A fond farewell to 2011 and a warm open armed welcome to 2012!

I know that it is already January 6, 2012 and some people may say that its to late to announce my New Year’s Resolutions, but I would say bah humbug to you. It’s never to late to put in print what you plan to do for the new year.

So, with no further stalling involved here is my list…

Drum Roll Please!

(1) Go Green! I can not say that I’ve ever really been the reduce, reuse, recycle kind of girl, but I want to be. I reuse, which is to say that after working in a private preschool for the last four years I don’t see empty paper towel rolls quiet the same. Now I look at them and see ‘potential’. I see binoculars, hand puppets, towers, Christmas tree ornaments, and oh so much more. So, yes I reuse (when an art project is looming on the horizon). I have in the past recycled. I grew up in a state where you got 10 cents back for every soda bottle or soda can you returned to the store. So, yes I always took them back, but now you don’t even get a penny let alone a dime. It has kinda discouraged me. Though I will not let that stop me in 2012. On New Year’s Eve I went to the store and got myself ‘hooked up’. I now have three 30 gallon trash cans in my kitchen (soon to move to the garage). One labeled ‘GLASS’, one labeled ‘PLASTIC’, and one labeled ‘METAL’. I was sad to discover that after only three days the ‘PLASTIC’ container is already full. So, now I know how important it really is, because a family of four produces A LOT of waste, and a large portion of it is recyclable.

(2) Exercise More! Now, I could say loose 10 pounds, drop a dress size, etc. like everyone else, but I’m not going to. I will say Exercise More. That might be walking more, lifting weights, doing aerobics, what ever my heart desires. The reason I’m not saying drop X number of pounds or drop a dress size is because I just don’t see those goals as being very realistic. If someone who doesn’t know me looked at me they might think I was in pretty good shape. I’m not over weight, nor am I underweight. In reality I do look pretty good, even if I do say so myself. But, I don’t feel good about myself. So, in order to feel better about myself, like the way I look in my skin, and for an all over healthier feeling I choose to exercise more. If the end result is that I drop 10 pounds or even get rid of my muffin top (even as small as it is) then that is just a bonus for me. Oh yeah, I started this one already too. I went out on New Year’s Eve and bought a pair or ankle weights and a pair of wrist weights. I wear the ankle weights every where I go. See, exercising already, even when I’m not doing anything that I wouldn’t already be doing. Gotta love it when just a slight change in life style can make such a big difference – the pain in my lower legs!

(3) Write More! As you know I am trying to write a book… a series of books actually. I have finished the first book in a three to four book series, and two days after I submitted it to my editor she backed out on me. My first reaction was to cry. But then I thought, ‘No I am better than that!!!’ So, I picked my self up off the floor, wiped the snot and tears from my face, and told myself that there has to be a reason… Everything happens for a reason, and maybe this is just telling me that particular editor wasn’t the right person for this job. So, now that I am half way through re-writing book two I am going to finish book two and then start a new search for an editor. Sending a little silent prayer up to the Big Man in charge, ‘Please send me an editor that wants to work with me, is going to put his/her heart and soul into this project, and isn’t going to break my bank!’ So, yes… write more, and finish the re-writes to book two, as well as the first draft of book three.

Only three, but to me they are important. My family (husband and children) come first in my life, and they always will. But, this year I need to also think about me hence the finding time to write more, and the exercising. The recycling, well that is me trying to do my part (even as small as it is) to make a difference in this world. I hope to instil that in my children, and make it not something only I do, but have it be a life style change for my husband and children as well.

There you have it… it’s in writing… Lets see how I do come December 2012!