Slumber Party

Last minute check before bedtime...

Something I Hadn't Thought About..

So, if you are an actual reader of my thoughts, you will notice that I changed the title of this little venue. I did this after one of my friends pointed out that if you were searching "enjoy yourself", you might come up with less than stellar sites. EWWW. Totally NOT my intention. In fact, I was thinking of one of my favorite Todd Snider songs when I picked Enjoy Yourself. If you read through the lyrics, you will become familiar with one of my mantras-so to speak. As I've said before, this is a crazy world. It's so easy to get caught up in kid activities, work, friends, families, movies, worry, yardwork, laundry, what's for dinner?, bedtimes, should we sell the house?, school tardies, beer (wait, that's a good one), guilt, when will the grass grow?, potty training, master schedules-sometimes it's easy to forget about the life and the love that goes into it. It's so easy to schedule and plan and look to the future for the "next thing". Sometimes when you do that, you forget to look around and realize that you're already in your life. You had better live it.

So, in the spirit of that-I have a new theme song chosen, and thus a new title for my virtual scrapbook. I really am Happy to Be Here .

Families Celebrate

That's what they do. Todd's family is the best at this. Saturday we had 3, count 'em THREE, parties in one day.

Grandmother's Birthday:

Baby Shower (mom-to-be seen here getting tatt'ed by my eldest):

Proud to be an American-send off of one of our own to Afghanistan (doubled with congrats on elopement):

Now, while I won't deny the WHUPPIN' the day was, when you stand back and look at it, it's amazing. Here is a family that has grown so big with great grandchildren, cousins, new wives and husbands, and yet still makes the time to get together to celebrate each person's accomplishments (and if we can't, then we put 'em all together). Growing up all over, my extended family was a yearly visit-if that; I envied other families that had such familiarity with eachother-such daily companionship. Now family is family-mostly you don't get to choose, but when you hit gold like this, it's something worth noting. I hope when I'm the great grandmother, the family I've raised will realize the importance of eachother and the importance of us, and take a time out to just be.

no matter how many great grandchildren. (this pic is missing 3 others-one on the way making 4 more!)

The Ivy Continues

I have the Ivy again. FYI-you can get as many coritzone shots as you need in a year. I was afraid I was using up all my chances. The doctor eased my concerns, even if he didn't give me a take home kit.

New Friends. Great Times!

If you ask Todd, he'll tell you that meet your best friends in kindergarten (if not before). We've had this conversation with so many people-so many times. It's funny to hear his take on friendship, and then the irony of who we hang out with-people Todd went to kindergarten with! I have friends through different stages in my life-being a military brat, I don't have the benefit of living in the same town with my kindergarten buddies. Naturally, I take the opposite side during these conversations. Most recently, we've stumbled into a few new friendships that might just make Todd change his philosophy-or at least add to it. :) This goal of ours-to live, work, and play in the same town-it's come true! It's almost a dream...and, I think it's funny how some people come into your life at just the right moment. It's funny how an acquaintance can become a trusted friend before you know it. Personally, I think it can happen even if you didn't share snacktime together.

Where a Kid can be a Kid!

We celebrated Tanner's 5th birthday over the weekend. Todd took him to see Speedracer on Friday (took off work and everything!). We had a little family fun with pizza and presents that night, and Tanner went to bed with a full belly. Yesterday, we had his official party at Chuck E. Cheese. I was so glad to his best friends celebrate the day with him. Everyone had so much fun playing games, eating pizza and cake. Even the grown-ups participated in a game here and there.

I just can't believe it's been five years since we brought home that little boy bundle. Five years since we invested in that double stroller, and invested in double time parenting! Five years. He's going to start kindergarten in the fall. KINDERGARTEN. Somehow I was ready for Madison to grow up and be on her own, but to see Tanner pack his backpack and pick out his school clothes makes me a little sad. I'm always a little annoyed when people say "it goes by fast; enjoy it", as I'm struggling with time-outs and poop.

But it really does.

Young Lady

Yesterday, I was casually talking with the principal here about a possible job next year. The position is for science and social studies. He was going on and on about how I would be perfect for the position. I joked that I visited with another applicant in the office a few days ago, and she seemed perfect too! He noted that he would need to get her correctly certified before moving ahead with the interview process. Now, I'm not certified to teach social studies (nor would I ever want to be!), and so I pointed this out to him. In reply he said, "you're a bright young lady, we'd figure it out."

So, my question of the day is (other than how you "figure out" correct certification)...when do you stop being a young lady? and will I notice when that happens? and if I do notice, will it bother me? or will I finally feel like a grown up? My first year teaching, it took me all year to adjust to being "Mrs. Scroggins". Eventually, I adapted, but I also remember when some pizza guy called me Ma'am; I didn't like it, but I went on with it. So now it seems I'm a "young lady Ma'am", whatever that is.