Thursday, May 15, 2008

The Sounds of Silence, but Still Screaming

My experiment has ended, and by "experiment" I mean that I actually have some time today to finally post to my blog.

Truthfully though, I have had so much to say, but so many things I can't share for so many reasons that I just decided to not say anything at all. That was very hard for me, because if you are one of the lucky few that knows me in real life, I have a very hard time keeping quiet. About anything.

So I'll tease you with some of the things for now and hopefully write more about them later:

  • I'd love to tell you about the student that is in my class that makes me sometimes question why I want to become a Special Education Teacher at all. This student makes me equal parts angry at him and sad for him all in the span of a few seconds. Angry because he has taken up throwing chairs and sharp pencils at us and sad because he is so manic, you know that some of this is way out of his control. Makes going to work every day quite the adventure.

  • Living with a 17 year-old girl has also been quite the experience. I'm feeling the need to hold a seance and tell my mom how sorry I am for those formulative teenage years where I drove her nuts with excuses why I couldn't do things, the constant attitude (partly cranky with a chance of moody), and the general teenage girl dramas that are the end of the world at any given moment. Don't get me wrong, I love my niece. She is growing into a beautiful young lady, both inside and out. I have really enjoyed spending time with her. However, I can definitely now understand why my mother had that look on her face, you know the quizzical "Who are you and what have you done with my child?" look.

    It's been great practice for the other teenager in the house that might not make it to his 17th year if he doesn't lose this new attitude. Me no likey. At all.

  • My .02 on the whole "Mommybloggers are ruining their kids lives with their blogs and pimping out their kids" kerfluffle: My kids, both of them, LOVE my blog, and fully understand what I'm doing and why I do this. They have reaped many benefits from mommy's little project, and as far as I am concerned if you are a viewer of reality television in ANY form (and yes, DWTS counts as well as Real World) then you are also part of this too. Glass Houses and stones people. Where I differ is this is not necessarily a love letter to my children in the sense that I want them to read it and get weepy. I want them to understand that parenting is hard. It's not easy. There is no right answer. There is no pat wrong answer either. It's just hard, yet rewarding work. Dr. Spock never really said that in his books to me, and when I'm gone I want my children to still use my examples and advice if they ever need it.

    Plus, I suck at Scrapbooking. So here you go.

  • I still need to finish my Tennessee posts. We had a blast. I fell down a slope on my butt. Good times.

  • Scamp lost his first tooth. He's working on his second. They seem to be falling out just as fast as they came in.

  • After 36 years on the Planet Earth, I find out that I have 7 cavities. I have had 4 of them filled. Two of which were just this morning.

    I hate it when Novocaine wears off.

  • Finally, I'll leave you with this:

Cute, No?



Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Fourteenth

Last night, after Baby Think it Over and I thought it over and decided to part ways (also deciding that I really DO NOT want a third child - thanks Middle School Teen Challenges class!) I woke up to what is my fourteenth wedding anniversary.

I am in Orlando.

My husband is in Savannah, Georgia.

We're actually used to this. The travel is a by-product of our life, so we understand that for many special occasions we will be apart, and we respond accordingly. The night before our anniversary, The Hubby went to dinner at Bonefish Grill so as not to upset me by going tonight. I had pizza with the kids and wished I was with him at Bonefish.

So tonight I will go to bed early, wishing I was with my husband. I will also wish that by the end of the year I have a job at the school I work at, for today I was told that there were no more allocations, and I will be thrown into the big pool and see who bites. Yay.

Happy frickin' anniversary to me. Not quite the gift I had planned. (say a few prayers and good wishes and faith for me, kay?)

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Tennessee Travels - Day Two

The first night we arrived in Tennessee, our family took us to an ice cream place called Maggie Moos. (For those of you who have ever been to a Cold Stone Creamery, it's that...but way cuter.) Spiff, ever the difficult one, did NOT WANT ice cream, but would have rather had italian ice. So Spiff and his Uncle set off to the local grocery to pick some up. While they were there, looking for the ices in the frozen section, the following comment was made:

"Uncle, can I tell you something? I am a sucker for oriental chicks."

Two women who overheard him in the aisle just about died laughing. So did his Uncle.

(Why, yes, we DO watch a lot of Ninja Warrior. Thank you for asking.)

________________________________________

Sunday was family day, and I took some gorgeous shots of the Tennessee countryside.



We also went to Carter House and the Carnton Civil War Cemetery, where you can see, up close and personal, real bullet holes made by musket fire during the Civil War.







We had a great time. You can see the rest of my photos by clicking here.

I'm not done yet! I still have the Loveless Cafe, The Natchez Trace Parkway and the cliff-diving that wasn't; and the birth of my new moniker, Ol' MuddyButt.

All for you. Stay Tuned!

P.S. We head back home today, so posting will be light. If you live in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Virginia, North and South Carolina; that crazy woman in the red shirt waving to you from the top of Lookout Mountain? That's me. Be sure to wave back!

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

I'll see you your bacon salt and raise you a bacon lunchbox...



Now THIS is a lunchbox I would carry to school. It's making me hungry just looking at it.



I found this at Hams & Yams at the Loveless Cafe.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Oh, So NOW he grabs my hand....





Tennessee muddy hillside = 1 , Shash = 0. My pride isn't the only thing that hurts right now.