Thirteen for Thursday (a day later)

1.  Getting my hair cut on Friday and going to lunch with Erin

2. Need to get my grades into the computer- why can't I ever get this done in a timely fashion?

3. My glasses need to be cleaned

4. I hate the fact that my house is torn apart still

5. Spring needs to hurry up

6. I want to go to the movies and I don't even really care what I see

7. I gave up soda for Lent and I am cranky

8. I actually only have about 1 load of laundry to do today- rare for Friday

9. The kids think I hired a maid to vacuum bedrooms and change the sheets today- that is how I got Helen to pick up her toys

10. My feet really need a pedi before flip flop season begins

11. The beach is calling me

12. Zachary's birthday party is not going to plan itself

13. The craft fair is driving me crazy

Unfair Division of Labor

To: Husband

From: Me

Re: Morning Duties

As it stands, I currently perform the following jobs on school mornings:

haul laundry basket to the basement

transfer laundry from washer to dryer

start new load of laundry

haul laundry upstairs

fold laundry

make coffee

unload dishwasher

make lunches/snacks for kids

put together any items needed for after school

carry laundry upstairs

shower and get myself dressed

make breakfast

let dog out

get kids dressed

if it is trash day- make sure trash cans are emptied

pack up any school items

pile everything by the door

clean up breakfast dishes

find shoes

do my hair and makeup

try to get children to the door before 7:30

You currently perform the following duties:

open kids' doors and tell them to get up (if I haven't already)

take a shower

get dressed

get on computer

drink coffee

drive kids to school

As you can see, you really don't do much to help with the children in the morning. This was understandable before I began work. However, next school year I will not only be working 40 hours per week, but will have to have the kids out of the house 20 minutes earlier than the present time. I refuse to get up any earlier than I already do, and I can only do so much at night. Due to this, you will be required to get up earlier yourself and help me. Please let me know which responsibilities you would like to assume. Please keep in mind that I also hold responsibility of afternoon activities, all housekeeping duties, kids' homework and any school papers, shopping for groceries and household supplies, most of the cooking, clearing the kitchen after meals, tucking kids in, reading to them, cleaning the gerbils' cage, and doling out required medicines. Add to this the school things that don't get done at school- IE entering grades into the computer, grading papers and lesson plans. You bathe Zachary and clean up after Ozzy. If a fair division or duty is not established, I will have no choice but to refuse to do them until resolution.

Sincerely,

The Wife

Living room........

the new carpet is here!!!!!!!!!!  David rearranged the furniture.   I kinda like it, but we will lose two pieces of furniture and some storage.  Coincidentally enough, they are the two things he hates- the green thing and the tv stand.  The green thing is NOT leaving my house.  Period.  I bought it in Boone, NC and it traveled to Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Maryland.  It is not leaving.  I just don't know what to do with it or the things that were stored in it (board games and some large serving pieces).  Also, this means the fish tank will stay in the dining room.  Yuck.  We have had fish since Helen was a baby and I am so tired of the gosh darn fish.

Mondays......

used to be my favorite day of the week- a return to routine and ordinary.  That was when I didn't work.  Now I have that Sunday night panic that I haven't cleaned, washed, planned enough for the upcoming week.  I hate that feeling.  I need to come up with a better plan of attack.  Of course, it doesn't help that the past two weekends have involved moving everything from the craft room for the furnace guys and ripping up carpet for the carpet guys.  ARG!

I do better when I have routines- planned times to get things done- I need to shift my schedule cuz the old one ain't working......

Shopping Trip

I went shopping yesterday.  For $140 I bought:

2 pairs of trousers

1 pair of capris

2 blouses

2 camis

1 t shirt

1 silver heart necklace

Not bad.

Battered Women

Unless you live under a rock, you have probably at least heard about Chris Brown and Rihanna.  This report indicates that the police have leaked pictures of her face to the press.  The girl needs her privacy right now, and she needs time to process her thoughts and heal.  That said, I do hope that she decides to speak out in the future.  She can do so much good if she does.  I hear young girls who think it is OK to be abused by their boyfriends and it makes me sad.  They think that such treatment means he really cares, or that they deserve it.  If they see that this beautiful, talented girl was abused and says it is NOT OK, maybe they will listen.  

As our country is facing greater and greater crisis and turmoil, this problem is going to get worse.  And most girls and women do not Rihanna's resources to get out and get help.  This issue is close to my heart- please take the time to find out more and perhaps, help someone.  

That said- if you are the kind of person to make false allegations so that you can get a leg up against your ex-spouse, then shame on you.  You know who you are.

Thirteen for Thursday

1.  I am exhausted.

2. The library has beaten me up this week.

3.  I think I am allergic to chalk dust.

4. Chocolate covered strawberries ROCK!

5. iCarly is actually  a pretty funny show.

6. I wish my house was self-cleaning.

7. I need to dust the living room furniture.

8. Library books are actually quite dirty.

9. And dusty.

10. Achoo! Cough!

11. Why didn't I travel more in my youth?

12. Clean sheets are so nice- I wish I could change my sheets every day.

13. I got nuthin........

Today was Professional Day....

We went to a monastery today for a retreat.  It was nice.  The theme was how to build a community.  The first scripture pertained to Jesus sending the disciples out in pairs.  They were to take nothing but a walking stick and sandals.  No clothes, no money, no food.  It made me think of the baggage we carry, both physical and emotional.  The burden weighs us down and we cannot do our job.  But the thing that really got me was the realization that fear of having nothing paralyzes us.  Would go on vacation with nothing but a stick and some shoes?  We need things too much to trust God.  Fear of leaving my baggage behind has stopped me from doing many things.  Granted, my baggage now is children, but before I had boyfriends, a husband, a pet, commitments, you name it holding me back.  Wow- talk about an ah ha moment..........

I wonder how different my life would be if I was not so attached to my baggage.

A Day Off

Today is President's Day, so there is no school.  Our new heat pump is in and it is (gasp) 73 degrees in here- it is never that warm.  I haven't even been downstairs to look at the new equipment.  I have played on facebook, played checkers with Zachary, made brownies and went to the grocery store.  And talked to my mother.  Which is, as always, the same conversation each time.  I should be used to it by now, but I am always annoyed any way.  Don't get me wrong- if it was something she couldn't help, like Alzheimer's, I'd be more patient.  She just doesn't listen and doesn't remember because we lesser people (translation- anyone other than her) aren't worth remembering or listening to.  So you can say the same thing and it doesn't matter because she isn't listening any way.

I think I am going to take a nap before karate.

Friendship

I am contemplating friendship today.  You know, the kind you think you had, only to find out you really didn't.  Then the person that you always assumed would always be your friend doesn't speak to you in a store, or at your own father's wedding, and you don't know why.  Many years have gone by since the dissolution of that particular relationship and I have grown up and developed new friendships, many of which are unconditional, even when we don't talk every day (i luv you, Erin).  But it still pains me to no end that this person has treated me this way.  I will never understand it, maybe not even if she explains to me her thoughts on the matter.   

Now this friend has shown up on facebook with an assumed name and I am baffled and perplexed by this.  Is she hiding, trying to avoid the past?  And if so, why did she contact three high school people, and not the ones that I would expect her to?  I don't know.  I really don't know.  I do know that in my lifetime I have been lied to and hurt by people that I thought I really knew.  The things  I have learned from this are that you don't truly KNOW anyone, and you cannot trust most people.

Happy Valentine's Day

 I got a camera like this one for Valentine's Day.  This means David had to actually plan ahead, ha ha.  He has a camera like this one, and being the competitive couple that we are, I need one so I can take better pictures than him.  I have to figure out how to load this thing, though.  It is not 35 mm.  It uses medium format film and you cannot just drop it off a Target to be developed.

Today was spent moving everything out of the path from the back door to my craft room.  The new heat pump is coming on Monday and they need to be able to get to everything.  I guess the upside to it is that I cleaned up lots of dog fur and will have chance to reorganize my gear when I put it all back.  The heat pump thing is upsetting.  It was old and we have no choice but to replace it.  We are running on emergency heat now and will have no a/c later.  It was just a huge chuck of cash that we don't have right now.  I'm just glad it held out until I went back to work.

I am off to chaperon the middle school dance at school/church.  This sounds awfully boring if you ask me.  All the boys line up on one side and act stupid while the girls dance with each other.  Maybe one or two sets will "couple up" and dance a slow one.  That's how it usually goes, lol.

Thirteen for Thursday

1. I need  a trip to the beach.

2. Red is my favorite color.

3. I am drawn to things that are heart shaped, especially silver jewelry.

4. I really have very few memories of college, or high school.  I think I have blocked them.

5. New carpet is coming next week.

6. Why did I pick thirteen- this is hard.

7. Is it summer yet?

8. My craft room is very neglected, and dirty.

9. I think Ozzy needs a friend.

10. Target has the cutest flip flops this year.

11. Helen made cupcakes tonight- almost all by herself.

12. For the first time I didn't have to beg anyone to do Valentine cards.

13. Finally done!

Monday, blah

I got nothing done this weekend.  We had fun, drove to West Virginia and just hung out as a family.  It was great, but now I am paying for it.  Uniforms are not hanging in the closet, I didn't grocery shop, I didn't plan for my week.  AArg!  

So, Zachary had the University of Maryland appointment today and it went fine.  Basically, he needs to poop more.  I have to load him up on Miralax this weekend (fun).  And that is about all for my week so far.  I will post some pictures from WV when I get them developed.

This makes me mad

Nadya Suleman wanted a "huge" family.  Well, a lot of us do.  And guess what, we show restraint when we realize that we cannot afford to raise them.  How can an unmarried person with fertility problems justify IVF to conceive 14 children?   How will she raise them?  With the charity and mercy of others, that is how.  I have worked in day care where I had 8 babies (and they were not newborns- most states limit that age to 2 per adult).  It is a lot of work.  There is never a down time, because someone always wants something, someone is always awake.  And that doesn't even factor in the emotional investment when one is dealing with one's own children.  Your own will wear you our faster than someone else's!

I just get angry when people have babies like they are accumulating a collection.  Maybe Ms. Suleman needs to meet ****.  They probably have a lot in common.

TGI---Th????????

Have I really gone all week without writing?  Well, here's something new 

13 for Thursday

1. I am so behind on laundry. Again.

2. Raw chicken freaks me out.

3. Usually about mid-February I start fantasizing about spring.

4. I do not want to spend my Friday talking to my mom again.  Really.

5. I love roller coasters.

6. I love Italian food, but I never get to eat it.

7. I wish a dumpster would get parked in front of my house for a week.

8. Video and liquor stores should deliver.

9. I like hot pink and navy blue together.

10. Pigs are cool.  And smart.

11. I hate folding laundry.

12. I hate putting away laundry.

13. Bracelets are my favorite accessory- right next to purses.

My Baby is Sick.....

Zachary is home with a fever today.  I am going to work.  Dad is doing sickie duty today.  This is certainly no major illness, and not the first time Zachary has ever been sick, but I wish I could stay home today.  It is the first time I've been away from a sick kid.  I've always been the one to take care of them.  I just know that when I am sick, David ignores me.  I hope he is more nurturing to the boy......

sunday morning

The kids are at Grandma's.  We had Thai food and went to see Taken.  It was good- I like Liam, but it was a bit far fetched, but then most movies are.

So now we are sitting around with peace, coffee and Futurama.  We have to go get them eventually, but the quiet is nice.  On the weekends I usually have at least one extra child, sometimes two.  This is nice, but it will become creepy by noon.

I am still excited about my new position.  I am getting a lot of questions from parents and such.  I need to start writing an outline of the curriculum and maybe make a brochure for the program.  Here is my long, inflated bio I wrote for the school bulletin:

I graduated from Brenau Women’s College with a Bachelor of Science in Education.  Following graduation I spent two years teaching sixth grade reading and English in Charleston, SC.  When I moved to Georgia, I took a summer job teaching three year olds at Infants of Dunwoody, a day care center.  That summer position lasted 3 years.  It is there I fell in love with preschool. 

During my stay at IOD I served as classroom teacher, assistant director and curriculum coordinator.  I was also responsible for classroom materials and supplies for the center, as well as maintaining records for state licensing.   This prepared me for my next position with the Georgia State Pre- K program.  In addition to teaching my own class, I was responsible for set up of 5 classrooms and served as lead teacher.  

After I moved to Maryland I took a break from teaching to work with the Restaurant Association of Maryland where I was an administrator.  I soon missed the children and began teaching four year olds at Metris Companies.  After my daughter, Helen, was born I decided to stay home with her.  During my time as a stay at home mom I was very active with MOMS Club International.  I served two years as the President and was the activities calendar coordinator.  I also hosted many “kids in the kitchen” and “story time” activities for the children. 

Over the years I have attended conferences for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (to which I plan to renew my membership), completed training in the High/Scope curriculum, obtained my Maryland 90 hour certificate and attended many workshops related to teaching preschoolers.  

I am very excited about the new preschool at XXXXXXX.  I look forward to putting together a classroom and curriculum that will foster a love of learning, a sense of discovery and a development of faith.