Parental mistake number 892,736,124

Do you, like I, realize after the fact that maybe that just wasn't the best idea? Or do you, like I, realize these things after one of your children less than tactfully points it out to you? I believe I tend to fall into the later category...

Perhaps if you are the parent of a high schooler, you may have heard the hubub lately about the requirement to be asked to homecoming or prom via a creative method. Believe me, among the 15 - 18 age group, this is indeed a hot topic.

OK, now you have the history. Here's the story...

I came home the other day to find this...

I quickly wondered who on earth left me such a wonderful surprise on my front porch! Having over 40 eyes, I looked a little bit closer to observe this...

Well, the surprise clearly wasn't for me...but for my precious one. Being the good blogger parent that I am, I quickly went inside to get my camera to capture this moment for future generations. Then...I made the ultimate mistake. I took a picture with my phone and sent it to her.

Good idea right? No?

Who knew?!? I didn't really mean to spoil the surprise. I meant for the picture to be the surprise, and certainly not to steal the young man's thunder by any means. Evidently, that wasn't a good idea.

Gratefully, the precious one was home just a few minutes later to open said homecoming invitation so all is well that ends well. And perhaps this parenting mistake won't be remembered 20 years from now.

For all you high school mom's out there...let me clarify. If you come home to find any type of sweet sentiment meant for your child... DO NOT! I repeat DO NOT! Let them in on the secret. Just sit on your hands, do not text, no facebook, no pictures....just wait :) No extra charge for the invaluable advice!

The U Dub Dub world

As you now, my big girl has left for college....more than once. Even though I love having her home on the weekends, I know the importance of campus involvement for college Freshmen. She recently bought tickets for some upcoming shows on campus...and also attended an art show. She has had so many experiences already in life that college is kind of the icing on the cake for her :) What I especially love about her being in college, is that she has begun blogging... again. I kind of chuckled when I read her side bar descriptions including professing her love for all things Jonas and also her college plans when she was 16...my how times change.

To keep up with the joyous one on her latest journey visit her blog at http://stephaniejoysstory.blogspot.com You'll be glad you did!

Hello 11-12

Even though my two youngest have been in school for a few weeks, my new school year and my daughter's 1st year of college both start tomorrow. As school administrator, I choose to always start the school year with a kick off breakfast to welcome everyone back and hope to have something inspirational to say. That's where I'm stuck. Last year was a tough year...pay cuts, staff changes, loss of our director, and of course a whole slew of personal struggles, I have now formally dismissed along with August. I'm not sure what I'll say tomorrow, probably something completely memorable like "Welcome Back!" This has been such a restful break for me. I didn't make endless to do lists, which is VERY unlike me...but I got a lot done: at home and at school and I feel very rested and ready to go back to work. That's pretty good I think!

Looking ahead...

This is the year I will take my LCSW test so I can begin seeing clients with insurance...this will, in turn, allow me to begin paying down the national debt student loans. I'm also hoping this to be my last year of working my third job. I think I'll have to have my old dog put to sleep this year, I'll have to start working on a formal transition plan to get my sonshine from high school to college and perhaps I'll clean the basement! One thing I do know is that one summer spent not in graduate school has allowed me to catch up more than I ever thought possible. One daughter in college and the other two in high school and driving have given me more time to myself than I ever thought possible. This past year has definitely been a year of transitions for me and I can only wonder what the new year will bring. I have certainly grown closer to God this year and have prayed more than ever before. I have set many goals and accomplished much.

This is the year we have committed to no vacations and to pay bills instead. That sounds completely no fun, but just a little bit responsible. Somewhere down the road is retirement for me and a house on the beach...Missing a week at the beach this year will be worth retiring on the beach some day :) Remind me I said that when it's 20 below here!

While I contemplate what last minute inspiring thing to say tomorrow, I think I'll watch several episodes of the Young and the Restless to empty my DVR. Surely there should be some inspiration there right?

OK, Now for a quick photo update of the Joyous one's college adventure.



Her room is all set up...with a place to relax....















and a place to sleep and study....






And of course...it's just a little bit pink :)



Let's just say...the 4th floor was...HOT!

We dropped her off at the arts building to change her major (again), kissed her goodbye, and we were off!






Study hard!! We love you!


She went for one day...moved in...stayed overnight...had welcome to college kick off...then came back home. (Something about it was just too hot to sleep there!) Since then she's been home 4 days and left to go to college again. About a half hour later she returned with a friend. I exclaimed "Gee! I hardly missed you!" and continued weeding the flower gardens. About 20 minutes ago...she left again...for college. She said she'd call when she got there so perhaps now she has really left. All this repeated leaving makes this whole going to college thing much easier on the Mama. Thank God she didn't go to California! Look how much she's saved me already in airfare :) I am so very proud of the young lady she has become...just four more years til graduation. Again!

Dear August...you have been dismissed

As much as I have looooooved this summer, and I truly have, August has been a little more challenging than I care to recall. So, despite the lovely weather and sunshine this month has brought, the personal struggles, challenges at work, difficulties at home and the joyous one leaving for college just haven't been worth it! So...August, you're fired! Bring on September :)

Is closing her eyes, covering her ears and whispering quietly...say it isn't so

August 1st...sigh. School registration tomorrow. Where has the summer gone? Why do I say this every year? This year the precious one will be a sophomore (and I will be sure she knows how to spell it) and sonshine will be a Junior. They will be riding to school together for as long as they can stand each other and no one gets hurt, or until her schedule gets out of hand which will precipitate the mama pitching in with rides...


Besides the portion of the national debt that equals school registration fees, I'm just clearly not ready for them to go back. NOR am I ready for the joyous one to head off to college just one week later.


Being this is my first summer without graduate school for, count them, five summers...I may have slightly over enjoyed this summer. In fact, I'm catching up on things like cleaning under my bed and organizing the linen closet. True story, both of those have happened. Perhaps I will enjoy the business of two teens in high school without homework and classes of my own. There's a chance that I'll relish in all things back to school like I have in all things summer this year...but it's unlikely.


The good news is, we still have a weekend planned for the beach... Summer, it just doesn't get any better than this.

Coming in and out of your life...

That title is from a Barbra Streisand song that I loved...perhaps in middle school? That seems odd to me, that I would like that song at that age, but I loved to hear Barbra belt it out, while playing the record. (For all you under 25, that's a plastic thing that music used to come on that was played with a needle...odd I know) Anyway, I heard on the radio that every 7 years or so, 50% of your friends are no longer your friends. ponder, ponder, ponder...I have found myself saying lately on more than one occasion, that SO many people have come and gone from my life recently and I really wasn't appreciating it. I'm thinking we lose friends so often, because people change jobs so often...you think? I have been extremely blessed to have maintained friendships from my last job (one I was at for 9 years), especially when the job was in a daycare where you see your friends and their children for 9 or 10 hours every day where everyone is so close, I count myself lucky. I still have a few friends from a job I had for 9 years before that. Hmmmm, there seems to be a trend with the 9 year thing...Anyway, the point I'm making is this...friendships have to be maintained. They do. When one of my best friends left for greener pastures, we committed that if we had to we would schedule time to see each other! Doesn't that sound crazy? But...it worked. We used to schedule scrapbooking trips and then when our budgets got tighter, we scheduled scrapbooking nights. Well, our last night of scrapbooking, I'm not sure anyone scrapbooked, but we all sure did chit chat and catch up and it was wonderful. We looked at Lia Sophia, we talked about soap operas, we talked about who knew who and who lived a few houses from my daughter's boyfriend. I suggested maybe next we should schedule dinner and movie so we can all just chat!! Those nights I cherish and the time flies so fast. We always try to schedule our next get together right away or before we know it, kids have gone off to college! Ok, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration...but you know, time gets away from you and next thing you know, 50% of your friends are gone!

To digress and share a memory from my baby book: My mom wrote, Jacque doesn't like when anyone goes bye bye without her. Odd isn't it...it's only a few years later :) and I still don't like when people go bye bye without me! So, here's the thing...if you're in my life, make an effort to stay there ok? I'll do the same...

http://youtu.be/VkGAi-LVSbQ

I hear voices...not the kind that require $300 an hour therapy sessions, but voices none the less

I am a country music monger. When driving in the car the other day my baby niece said..."Auntie, we don't listen to this music at my house, we only listen to rock and roll." The funny part of that statement is that her mama sure doesn't listen to rock and roll, unless Brittany Spears and Lady Gaga have suddenly changed genres. Anyway, I digress...on the second sentence, that must be a record.

I was going to blog about voices. A post that was inspired by the country song...Voices, by Chris Young. A few lines...

I hear voices...

Like my dad sayin, work that job, but don't work your life away
Mama tellin me to drop some cash, in the offering plate on Sunday.
And Grandad sayin you can have a few, but don't ever cross the line.
I hear voices all the time.

You get the picture now right? THOSE kind of voices.

So as I was deep in thought paying close attention to driving and listening to that song I began to ponder a variety of the voices that still bounce around in my head today. Come to think of it, maybe some did require therapy...clearly that's a story for another day...

Thought I'd share a few of my favorites...

Work before play .... I'm not sure, but I've surely been called a work-a-holic


Pretty is as pretty does .... I'm still pondering that and I'm not sure where sarcasm falls on that continuum...but sarcasm can be pretty, right?


Showers and snacks before 9:00 ... probably why my kids have no bed time ...


If this is old age, I don't want any part of it ... A truer word has never been mumbled by my precious Gramma Bee


Are you cereal? ... spoken when something just couldn't be


S'nice piece ... Originally spoken to depict a lovely antique


Flip-ops ... all rubber bottom shoes shall now be known as flip-ops


It's too mall ... when something clearly doesn't fit!


It's not Santa, it's Marks! ... from a little friend who departed this Earth MUCH too early and clearly wasn't fooled by that Santa costume!



Graaaatefully I didn't write these down while I was paying careful attention to my driving...they just all continued to bounce around in my head. There are so many. It amazes me how many times each day I think of the person who's 'line' I still hear to this day...in their voice. They are fond memories...they have become a part of my voice.

You have voices? Feel free to share them here and save the therapy fee :)