Ode to Summer's End and Day 118...

Well, the mobile blog thing was short-lived because I couldn't ever remember what day I was on, and I kept deleting the sent emails without thinking, "Oh, wait! I need to know what my next blogging day is!" Snikes.

Speaking of snikes -- where the heck did my summer go?!?! One day, I'm laying by the pool, watching my kids frolic in the water. The next, I'm getting up early and wearing uncomfortable clothes and trying to remember where I saved my syllabus from last year.

*Sigh.*

I am not ready for this.

Day 118:
1. the sense of relief when I finally get everything in order in my classroom.
2. spending days and days of my summers in junior high and high school, reading TEEN magazine from cover to cover and planning my back-to-school wardrobe. I know -- so nerdish, but it fed my inner-OCD over-achiever to chart out every outfit in my closet on index cards.
3. discovering some of my old journals from high school while cleaning out my classroom and laughing at how excited I used to get about the first day of school. I might possibly have been una nerda.
4. opening new school supplies.
5. no meetings this morning. :-)

Day 116 & 117

I'm telling you- this mobile blogging thing is pure genius!! Just set out on a road trip, but I'm not driving, which means I get pretty antsy. I can't really read to entertain myself because I get carsick. The kids are talking 90 mph, and I would normally be getting pretty dang annoyed right about now, BUT I can pop my earbuds in and blog the miles away while my less technologically-savvy parents drive, eat Fiddle-Faddle, and discuss the merits of upcoming rest areas.

By the way- for those of you who know my parents, I can barely contain my laughter. I am riding in the back seat... well, the middle row of seats, like I'm 12 again, but I swear- Carl is driving and Hazel is riding shotgun. (For those of you who don't know, Carl was my dad's dad; Hazel is my mom's mom.)

Carl is cruising at 60 mph down the interstate, oblivious to the fact that everybody AND their grandmothers have passed us... I'm not sure he realizes that the speed limit has indeed changed to 70 mph on most areas of the interstate.

Hazel is lamenting about leaving her blue dress at home. It has palm trees on it, so I doubt we're really missing anything, but she's downed almost an entire box of Fiddle- Faddle in mourning.

They both have on their game faces and weird sunglasses; however, they are NOT wearing matching outfits, for which I am grateful.

Day 116:
1. Ipods on road trips. Dang, they save my sanity! :-)
2. Getting my first Walkman back in the day. Thought I was some kind of hot stuff when I could listen to my Poison tape on field trips and car rides.
3. My dad is -- as I type -- wearing my Pop's Solar Shades and a sun visor. I laugh every time I look up in the front seat.
4. Driving as opposed to riding.
5. Family vacations. Without them, I'd be short some blogging material.

Day 117: Odes to Funny Vacations
1. Disney with my entire fam when I was in 8th grade. To this day, I can't see a luggage cart without momentarily seeing my Uncle Jimmy skating across the parking lot, scooter-style, with his Dwayne Wayne shades flipped up.
2. The vacations- two that I can recall- where something happened to the car and/or my dad didn't make hotel reservations, so we ended up coming home the same day.
3. The Weeks/Hunt family excursion to Toronto. I have never laughed so hard in my entire life. What happens in Toronto stays in Toronto. :-)
4. Family trip to Sapphire Valley. I never met any boys on vacation because we vacayed at retirement hot spots. On this particular trip, Mary and I went horseback riding. Pretty sure no one else has ever witnessed my mother on a horse.
5. Family trip to Maggie Valley, yet another 70+ resort area. I hit a golf ball out in the middle of a six lane highway playing miniature golf. Then Jay hit me in the head with his golf club on his backswing. Some one should've explained to us that we weren't gearing up for Hole 13 at The Masters, OR Toad shouldn't have made us watch all that golf on Sunday afternoons growing up. Had no idea that teeing off in putt-putt requires 1/50th the strength of teeing off at a regular golf course until I watched my dad turn scarlet as he watched that ball bounce across six lanes of heavy traffic.

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Day 114 & 115

Day 114:
1. Getting a new cookbook.
2. Having a random peace lily grow out of a pot that I thought just had dirt in it.
3. Coordinating party ware.
4. The obsession our dog Zoe used to have with my mom. Freaking hilarious bc Mary didn't return the favor.
5. Scaring Bob, my crazy Manx cat who never really liked me.

Day 115:
1. Hootie, my well-trained Tiger Oscar that I had my sophomore year in college.
2. Great Danes.
3. The satisfaction of having a clean kitchen... which rarely happens.
4. The greater satisfaction of having a clean dining room table... which happens even more rarely.
5. Sam's big gap-tooth smile.

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Day 112 & 113

Really digging this mobile blogging thing. Laying on the couch, watching a movie, blogging away. Fabulous!!

Day 112:
1. My Holiday Barbie collection.
2. Finding out that there's a new Wonder Woman ornament coming out.
3. My NY Yankees ball cap.
4. My crazy striped hat and matching scarf.
5. Early morning on the beach. If only I didn't have to get up early to see it...

Day 113:
1. A good mystery.
2. When a book that I thought would be just ok turns out to be fabulous.
3. Training K to put the toilet paper roll on the right way.
4. Remembering that I have a new (and magnificent) purse stashed away in the closet.
5. A break of cooler, unseasonable weather in the midst of the freakin' hot summer.

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Day 110... And maybe then some...

Ok, I'm way behind. Just looked on the calendar, and I should be on Day 202. I am on Day 110.

Holy cow.

Day 110:
1. Laney's flower lamp
2. Sleeping in my childhood bed. So dang comfortable.
3. The kids' building blocks that are a modern version of the cardboard blocks I used to play with in the nursery when I was little.
4. The stage/boat that was in the nursery when I was little. On one side, it was a platform with steps on either side. Turn it over, and it became a boat. Awesome.
5. The rows and rows of nail polish in every color of the rainbow at beauty supply places.

Day 111:
1. Finding out that the hair gods have not discontinued my favorite hair product.
2. Sam falling asleep in my arms.
3. Kissing my sleeping kids on their foreheads.
4. Sleeping stretched out across the bed.
5. My plastic- excuse me, acrylic - champagne glasses. Bought after New Year's our first year married for .25 per glass. Glitter in the stems; gold stars on the glasses. Make me happy every time I see them in the cabinet. I love festiveness. :-)
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109

1. Laney doing trick riding on Ethan's 4-wheeler. Girlfriend is fearless.
2. Laying on the couch under a blanket.
3. Laney pretending to a zombie or a robot by holding her arms out in front of her and repeating "Dombie" or "Wo-bot." Very convincing.
4. Ethan's never-ending quest to get rid of Laney. Tonight, he decided that she & K could get lost in the jungle, and Laney might get eaten by an anaconda. Nice.
5. Knowing my kids miss me when I'm gone. Ethan cried and cried when we came home from the beach. A little disturbing that he thinks we're going to up and leave him, but comforting that he doesn't always think we're mean, nonetheless.
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108

1. Laney & Sam playing hide-and-seek... in the pack-n-play. There's really nowhere for them to hide... so there's really no seeking going on... but they don't seem to mind...
2. Mobile blogging. Now that Ethan has discovered games on the computer, I don't get to use it very often. :-P
3. Watching the dogs get dive-bombed by our dog-birds in the backyard. The dogs don't deserve it; the birds are just territorial... but they think twice before climbing out of the pen. :-)
4. Pretty green ferns. Especially ones that don't die even though I have killed most of my other plants.
5. Sitting on Granny B's porch.
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106-107

Day 106:
1. Spending time with Linda & David. Great food, great conversation, lots of laughs. They are my favorites. :-)
2. Watching Ethan & Laney make memories.
3. Ethan's theory that my dad's job is playing golf. :-)
4. Watching Sam entertain himself. He just babbles and babbles... and every now and then throws in something that sounds like "Naney" but in a really nasty tone. I'm convinced he practicing telling Laney off for when he gets bigger.
5. Realizing that, although I have no groceries, I have just the right ingredients to make the side dish recipe I just came across.

Day 107:
1. The fact that Max & Ruby (of cartoon fame) seem to live by themselves even though they are, like, 5 and 7.
2. Secretly hoping that Max one day drop-kicks Ruby in the teeth because she is one bossy bunny.
3. The song that Sid the Science Kid sings to his mom on the way to school.
4. The song that Sid the Science Kid sings with his friends when he gets to school. It involves dancing and makes me happy.
5. That PBS has finally joined the current century and made some cool cartoons.
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Holy cow!!

I am a technological genius!!!
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For the love...

Please let this work...
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Days 101-105

Ok, I'm over the pretty little blue symbol for today, so I'm just going to get back into the Days of Grace listing and try to shush the OCD voice in my head that is whispering, "But you put the seal on the other posts. This one isn't going to match..."

Day 101:
1. good running socks
2. Sam having teeth!
3. Laney's VBS picture that, ironically, shows what a devil she is...
4. Laney and Ethan asking repeatedly since yesterday if we can start packing for the beach
5. Ethan asking for a flea collar. Apparently, he's been seeing flea collar commercials on TV and doesn't want to get them. :-) Shows what kind of faith he has in my housecleaning ability...

Day 102:
1. Ethan also wants to get those closet organizing hangers because (and I quote) my closet "is a big mess. We need to clean it up." Yeah, ok, kid. How about you start with your room before you start making a To Do list for me?!
2. Laney's random obsession with lines from TV shows. For two weeks, she called K and me "Mr. Noodle" -- as in Mr. Noodle from "Elmo's World." Her current obsession is "Ferb, I know what we're going to do today!" from our favorite cartoon, "Phineas and Ferb." Drives Ethan beserk.
3. Speaking of "Phineas and Ferb" -- Laney and Ethan named their skim boards "Phineas" and "Ferb." I had to write the names in silver paint pen on the skim boards so no one would call them by the wrong names.
Give you two guesses whose OCD idea that was...
4. Ethan swimming like a fish! After two weeks of swimming lesson hell last summer, I'm glad he's finally gotten over his bizarre love-hate relationship with the water...
5. people watching at the beach. I swear -- there is NOTHING like it. I think they hire people to come down and entertain me when I'm there. No way those freaks are real.

Day 103:
1. days at the beach where all I really have to do is read, eat, and make sure I remember to keep sunscreen on...
2. finally being able to go to the beach and not come back looking like a lobster...
3. the waiter's concerned face at the crab leg buffet when he realizes I've been eating crab legs for two hours straight...
4. beating my old record of 46 with an impressive score of 50 crab legs...
5. Sam's fascination with throwing things out of his pack-n-play

Day 104:
1. Sam's love of biting K. He acts like he's going in for a snuggle and then strikes like a viper. So sweet and chubby that you never expect it... :-)
2. zerberting my kids' bellies...
3. introducing my kids to new things. Took them to the fish hatchery (odd, I know), and they were just amazed. Laney did almost get mobbed by some angry fish... kept trying to feed them one pellet at a time. They don't really appreciate the frugal approach...
4. watching my mom lug her ginormous mustard-yellow purse on a hike. Not sure if she thought there would be a place to shop at the top of the trail or what...
5. Ethan and Laney wearing my tshirts to sleep in. I used to do the same with my dad's, but it just makes me laugh to see which ones they choose.

Day 105:
1. looking forward to the future...
2. witty people...
3. looking for recipes...
4. cooking with my kids. Reminds me of cooking with Hazel and Pearle when I was growing up... always makes me smile... unlike memories of cleaning house with my mom... my kids will probably never have memories of that, considering my status as a non-housecleaning kind of woman...
5. God is good. :-)

I have no idea what I'm doing....

I spoke too soon in one of my last blogs, saying I had all of this time to blog, and then...

Nothing. :-P

As I logged on tonight, I saw a little cell phone on my log in page. Says I can register to mobile blog. So I click on it.

I just got a new phone, a Blackberry, that does all kinds of things that I don't understand yet, and I'm thinking -- "I could update my blog while I'm toodling around! I LOVE multi-tasking!!!"

Well.

That might be possible if I could figure it out. I don't know the difference between MMS and SMS; all I know is that SMS is like a regular text. MMS? IDK. Make Ma Swear? At this point, that's about all I can come up with.

SO -- I choose the email option. Had to set up an email address.

Enter Problem.

I set it up, didn't write it down, and now I can't remember what it is. I'm sure I can find it somewhere in my settings, but really -- I've got people to fight on Sorority Life. I don't have time to switch to Go-Go-Tech-Nerd mode (not that my limited knowledge of technology ever lets me fully get into that role...) and dig through a bazillion pages and settings.

I tried to make posting easier so I could catch up on my Days of Grace and all that, but alas, the technology spirits are against me...

Where Am I Finding All This Time to Blog?

Oh -- that's right! I've totally neglected cleaning my house or doing any laundry. K will be patient with this until probably this afternoon... so less than 1 week into summer vacation, he's going to start asking me what I did today. :-) You should see his face when I smile blissfully and say, "Nothing." :-)

Day 95:
1. Laney almost always says, "Mommy, I love you, too." when she's declaring her love for me. What makes me happy about this is that usually, this is the first line of the conversation. Example: I am sitting here, playing on the computer, when she walks up out of nowhere, hugs my leg, and says, "I love you, too, Mommy." I didn't tell her first, but she always pretends I did because it is Laney's world and we just live in it.
2. The park we love has new bathrooms that don't make me fear that lurkers are going to run off with my children.
3. Going to the farm market down the road and getting the good grits.
4. Finding three maxi dresses that I love AND that fit me the right way.
5. Smelling fresh peaches always reminds me of eating frozen peaches at Hazel's growing up.

Day 96:
1. Sam loves swinging.
2. Laying down for a nap with Laney and realizing that she is not always a ferocious beast.
3. Spending an entire day in my swimsuit without fixing my hair or putting on makeup because my pool peeps don't care.
4. Laney's independent streak. It makes me laugh every time she sets somebody straight with her version of the truth.
5. Laney's ability to say the one thing that will make Ethan flip out. For example, when we got in the MV last week to go somewhere, Ethan said, "I got in first, Laney." Without batting an eye, she said, "No, I did." which sent Ethan's OCD-must-follow-the-rules-and-report-exactly-as-things-happen personality into spontaneous combustion mode. He starts flipping out because he knows she didn't get in the car first but she refuses to back down. I'm sitting in the driver's seat, laughing. This must've been what life was like for my mom.

Day 97:
1. Cherry pie.
2. Winning the sauce award at The Camerons' cookout.
3. Summer reading contests.
4. Watching summer storms from the back porch.
5. Laney's first friend sleeping over (outside of relatives, that is...)

Day 98:
1. A den with warm lamp light.
2. Our sorta-scary leopard blanket.
3. Not having to do too much cleaning before the cleaning lady comes over.
4. Snuffles from the dogs.
5. Finding "the spot" on each dog that makes the back leg thump.

Day 99:
1. laughing so hard I snort.
2. the middle part of pancakes where the butter and syrup have saturated the dough.
3. Napolean Dynamite. Freakin' hilarious.
4. Watching Keith do the laundry while I play on Facebook and concoct the blog.
5. Freshly starched clothes.

Day 100:
1. Waking up to summer light outside the window.
2. Sitting in the rocking chairs on the back porch with K.
3. Sam's I-only-love-my-mommy stage. He's going through it right now, and while it can be exhausting at times, it is also sooooo endearing. I love that kid. :-)
4. The fact that my basil plant hasn't joined its cilantro cousin in The Garden in the Sky.
5. The surprise peace lily (I think) that is growing randomly in a pot I thought was empty. If it is, indeed, a peace lily, then it is the one from my grandfather's funeral, which makes me happy x 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.

Day 93:

1. Kissing my babies goodnight when they smell like sunscreen.
2. Laney's obsession with her "wobber gobbles." Idk if she means "rubber goggles" or "water goggles" but either way, she reminds me of Hamburgler when she says it... which makes me laugh.
3. Sam sitting at my feet, going "anhhhhhhhhhhh" for minutes without stopping. I think he's going to grow up to be a Gregorian monk, which will delight his daddy.
4. Knowing the bookmobile comes tomorrow.
5. Anticipating introducing Laney & Ethan to the wonders of the Bookmobile.

Day 94:
1. Hoping that the bookmobile will have a position open when I retire.
2. Watching Sam's face light up when he sees Ethan.
3. Knowing I don't have to get up for school in the morning.
4. Spending the afternoon chatting with Pat and Jenn. I think we could solve the world's problems.
5. Sam beating Ethan over the head with a foam sword. And all this time, I've been worried that he wouldn't stand up for himself...

I Can Almost Smell Freedom...

Well... it's that or the Michelin plant near by. Kinda smells like pork rinds in the air (which makes me want to vomit) when things are chugging along over there.

Anyway, school is officially out, but I am taking a 2-day class -- which, by the way, I am hoping counts towards my recertification since I unearthed my teaching certificate while packing away my school things, only to discover that it expires next year -- which is over tomorrow.

Then -- then I will be able to sleep a little later, stay up later, and lounge around in the sun all day.

Yeah. Whatever.



Day 91:
1. My refrigerator doors. Packed with pictures and drawings and such. Makes my heart happy.
2. Yellow and green together. Used to hate those colors together as a kid. Use them in my kitchen now. Makes me think of summer all year round.
3. That Ethan still thinks having $3 is the equivalent of being pretty dang rich.
4. Rocking chairs on the back porch.
5. Not caring that I am going to be the same shade of translucent in August that I am in May because I just don't tan...

Day 92:
1. Anticipating the Girls' Trip.
2. A low-key night out after a long day.
3. My students rockin' their EOC tests! So proud of them!
4. Laney & Ethan's obsessions with wearing my tshirts.
5. This crazy head-shake stage Sam is going through. He gets tickled, and starts shaking his head back and forth and laughing. I don't get it, but it makes me laugh, too.

La La LaLa... The Year is Almost Over

*Um, I just found this that I didn't publish from earlier... I guess I was anticipating doing some reading this summer? IDK -- a lot of these were books/magazines I loved reading during the summer growing up. I have surmised that I might have been a super nerd.

In honor of my ADD, I am blowing off things of importance to blog again today... :-)



Day 86:
1. The book fair
2. Nancy Drew books
3. The Hardy Boys books
4. Sweet Valley High books
5. Sweet Vally Twins books

Day 87:
1. Little Women.
2. Mary Poppins. (The book, not the movie.)
3. The Little House on the Prarie series. (Again, books -- not TV.)
4. The Boxcar Children series.
5. No Flying in the House.

Day 88:
1. The odd but interesting biography books about people like Albert Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt that Hazel had on her back porch.
2. Encyclopedia Brown books.
3. The Gymnasts series.
4. YM magazines.
5. Teen magazine.

Day 89:
1. A Farewell to Arms.
2. Summer of My German Soldier.
3. Jane Eyre.
4. Wuthering Heights.
5. Wayside Stories from a Sideways School (or something like that... I never could get the title right...).

Day 90:
1. Highlights magazines.
2. Having my own library card.
3. Leaving the Bookmobile with bags of books.
4. Laying under the window unit at Hazel's house, reading Bookmobile books all afternoon.
5. Filling up my reading contest brochure with book titles.

Sigh...

Finally... I can breathe! All of my pressing, major commitments are over, except planning Laney's birthday party. I can get back to doing nothing, blogging, and generally just entertaining myself instead of meeting deadlines and fulfilling commitments...



Day 81:
1. knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel, even if I can't see it...
2. speaking of lights and tunnels... that roller coaster at Dollywood...it's pitch black, set in a coal mine... seems like you're going to run head-on into a train (big freakin' headlight) only to take a dive at the last minute. One of the best rollercoasters ever. Almost wet my pants.
3. The Mindbender at Six Flags. Anybody remember that? Was always almost certain that The Mindbender was totally unsafe, but I always rode it anyway. Well, at least, until the last time when the freakin' cars stopped in the middle of the loop upside down. Almost had an aneurism. Won't ever ride it again. But I loved it/hated it while it lasted.
4. Summer Six Flags trips with my church youth group.
5. The one time I didn't go with my youth group, I went with a friend and her family in high school. Ate a cherry-topped funnel cake after riding the swings. Yakked in her mini-van on the way home. Horrible yet hilariously funny memory. Sorry, Jennifer.

Day 82:
1. calendars with the days of the year numbered. Not the days of the months -- but the day of the year. For example, Day 82 is actually March 23. I know this because my school planner calendar has the days numbered. Probably so I can count down the days until summer.
2. the idea of summer. Two weeks into it, I'm going to be wishing for school to start because I will be spending my first summer at home with three kids BUT... right now, three kids in a house seems better than getting up at 6 am...
3. picnics on the carport with my mom and Jay during the summer.
4. even better -- picnics on the carport with my mom and Jay when Mary would take us to Billy's to get a treat and a glass bottle Coke for lunch.
5. Billy McAdam's grocery. If you aren't from around Townville, you might not know it but as a child, it was heaven. Ice creams, bottled cokes, candy bars, chips, and (as a teenager) gas -- all that I could charge to my dad's tab.

Day 83:
1. days when not doing anything seems infinitely better that other options...
2. having a day after one of the aforementioned days when I don't kick myself all day for not having done anything the day before...
3. knowing I have things to do and just not caring...
4. realizing that the world will not stop if my TO DO list isn't checked off...
5. knowing it drives K crazy that these days come in the middle of periods when I really can't afford to take a day off... :-)

Day 84:
1. pink lemonade in glass pitchers with lemon slices
2. cake squares
3. those little molded mints at showers
4. the glass cups and saucers my church used to use for showers
5. finger sandwiches

Day 85:
1. Bag-A-Bargain is over. Technically, on this day, I was really just dropping my BAB stuff off... but since this is in retrospect, I am grateful that BAB is over for the year.
2. being highly motivated to clean out closets I would normally never touch so that I can meet my BAB donation requirement
3. knowing that I do not have to price label another item for at least 6 months
4. having a BAB closet now where I stash everything so it's in one place for next year -- I love it when I'm smart!
5. not being in charge of BAB. Shelby & Regan do a great job. And I'm so glad it's them and not me!

More Make-ups...

Ok, I think it might make more sense if I pick up in March and work forward...



Day 70:
1. personalized notecards
2. looking forward to a trip
3. FINALLY finding a stylist who understands my crazy fro
4. 1.5-2 hours of me time
5. the day before a hair appointment

Day 71:
1. leaving the salon with hair that can go public
2. not having to wear my hair in a knot on top of my head
3. hair glaze :-)
4. chatting with Alexa because she makes me laugh
5. catching up on my magazine reading while sitting under the dryer

Day 72:
1. push-ups
2. the weird ice cream things from Billy's with a gumball in the bottom of the cone
3. ice cream sandwiches
4. Snickers ice cream bars
5. fudgesicles when I'm on a diet

Day 73:
1. walking around Charleston at night
2. finding not one but THREE pairs of boots on sale
3. having so many shopping bags I can't carry them all
4. having time to try on clothes I like
5. dessert at midnight with Jenn & Julie

Day 74:
1. more shopping
2. spending time with my family
3. ULTA
4. making the drive home seem shorter by taking a nap
5. walking back in the door, greeted by three little people who love me

Day 75:
1. dinner with old friends who know how weird I am and still like me
2. Sam's fountain o' pee at dinner. Mortifying yet hilarious. Definitely blackmail material.
3. realizing that K left the kids in their pjs all weekend and not really caring
4. scrubbing the kids down with everything short of AJAX after a weekend in their dad's care
5. catching up on gossip/what's happening/stories

Day 76:
1. finally finding storage for Laney's room
2. taking out bags of toys
3. finally not having toys overflowing everywhere
4. getting to the bottom of a toy bin on Cleaning Day
5. having some semblance of order

Day 77:
1. Mission Friends
2. having a library card
3. the smell of the library
4. taking my kids to the library
5. checking out stacks of books. Makes me feel productive.

Day 78:
1. Sam's penchant for being naked
2. Laney's crazy hair designs. 4 pigtails = HOT in her world.
3. Ethan's affection for patterns
4. sitting on the couch, surrounded by my kids, being loved
5. holding hands with Laney and Ethan (Sam's not a fan yet...)

Day 79:
1. flower gardens
2. vegetable gardens
3. not having to water flowers
4. not having to pick green beans in the heat of summer
5. working with Hazel in her garden when I was growing up

Day 80:
1. early morning VBS
2. Red Rover, Red Rover
3. dodge ball
4. painting ceramic figures in VBS crafts
5. 3 words: puffy paint tshirts. They rocked back in the 80s...

Day 112 & 111

So inspired by having time to breathe today that I'm going to blog again! :-)

Day 112:
1. Sam's mohawk. Freakin' hilarious!
2. Laney's version of songs. If she doesn't know the words or can't say them, she makes them up. Makes for great rides in the car. :-)
3. Taking care of business so my plate is a little less full.
4. Post-it notes.
5. A full night's sleep in a good bed with the right kind of pillow and great sheets. :-)

Day 113:
1. A fresh pedicure.
2. My new earrings that I bought in Charleston.
3. Laney's tan lines.
4. The fact that Sam still prefers me to carry him over crawling. :-) Sad, I know, but I am sooooo not ready for him to grow up.
5. Planning vacations.

Dang.

I am a little embarrassed.

I have completely fallen off the blogging wagon... as well as the Facebook wagon, the friend wagon, and pretty much every other wagon.

I mean, I don't even know where the time has gone. The past month and a half has been the single busiest period of my life. Last thing I remember, I was blogging about Lindsey's birthday. Next thing I know, it's April 24.

So.

I'm going to make up my time and my daily "Things To Be Thankful For" posts.

Just not all at once.

I'll start with yesterday and today:

Day 113:
1. It's Ethan's birthday.
2. Ethan was born on Shakespeare's birthdate. As an English teacher, this makes me ridiculously happy. No one else, apparently, thinks this is impressive, but the importance is not lost on me.
3. Birthday candles. They make everything festive.
4. Lunch with Ethan's class. I could never be an elementary school teacher because the kids have no sense of personal space, BUT his class is just precious! I'd like them for at least an entire day.
5. Dinner for breakfast. One of E's favorites.

Day 114:
1. Getting my car back after a week of driving rentals/borrowed ones.
2. Skin's dogs for lunch.
3. Really good slaw. Gah. Could eat my weight in it!
4. Being able to blog after a 6 week stress-imposed hiatus. Makes me feel like I've accomplished something.
5. Express mail. Otherwise, none of Ethan's party stuff would've gotten here in time...

Day Sixty-Whatever: An Ode to Princess Lindsey

Today is Lindsey's 16th birthday! That makes me feel very old because I was 16 when she was born. Anyway, Lindsey was the first grandchild born in the next generation in my family... and I had been the youngest for 16 years... so I didn't much like that I lost my "spot" when she was born... but I loved her anyway... for which I know she is so grateful. :-)

After I got over the fact that I was no longer the baby and learned to like small kids, I decided that Lindsey was, in fact, a lot of fun because I could teach her all sorts of bad habits. She was a funny kid, and very smart, so we bonded.

All these years later, we are probably closer than we've ever been. Lindsey and I have a lot in common, like our uncommonly translucent skin and our royalty complexes, and she makes me laugh. She has turned into an amazing young woman despite the fact that I probably scarred her severely by tormenting her while she was growing up.

Because I love her so much (and she reminds me to update my blog when I forget), I am making today's blog all about her. Happy Birthday, Iz! :-)

1. The time Lindsey came to stay with us in Knoxville, and I lost my keys in Target. Zelda the Fierce and my cell were in the car; Lindsey was at my house -- which was in a strange city... which freaked her out. I know she didn't think it was funny, and it wasn't at the time... but thinking about it now makes me laugh because she called my mom -- three states away -- for help.

Like Mary could find her way to Knox-Vegas by herself.

2. Lindsey's love of reading. I'm an English nerd, and I love that we can discuss books. We don't always agree -- she hated Twilight, and I loved it -- but it's always a good time.

3. Having the best-ever baby-sitter built into my family. My kids L.O.V.E. her, and I love her, too. She's like the SuperGirl of baby-sitters.

4. Lindsey's funny quirks. I love a quirky teenager -- shows that they can think for themselves. Lindsey can definitely do that -- just ask her. She has an opinion on everything...

5. Lindsey. In general, she makes me happy, and I love her. The end.

WHAT?!?!

Where'd the underline go? It was there a minute ago, I swear!!!!

Days 63 & 64 & 65 & 66 & 67 & 68

Why is everything underlined while I'm typing it? Is it going to post this way? These are the kinds of things that drive my OCD alter-ego crazy. I'm not even sure I can finish the post because THERE'S NO UNDERLINE OPTION ON THE TOOLBAR SO I CAN'T TURN IT OFF.

Day 63:

1. Feeling warm beach sand between my toes.

2. Sunglasses as a hair accessory.

3. Big purses.

4. Long dresses. I don't have to shave, AND I don't have to sit gracefully.

5. Making progress.



Day 64:

1. Sam saying "DADADADADADA" -- especially in the middle of the night.

2. Good sales on Diet Coke.

3. Salt & vinegar chips.

4. Organizing my closet.

5. Knowing spring is just around the corner.


Day 65:

1. Laney's pigtails.

2. Laney's faux hawk. One of her top 10 hairstyles ever.

3. Ethan in his wrestling singlet.

4. When Ethan shows his muscles.

5. Sam's love for his bouncer thingy.


Day 66:

1. Popples.

2. My Holly Hobby sink and stove.

3. My pink Big Wheel.

4. Monchichis.

5. My Barbie Dream House with the elevator.


Day 67:

1. Getting dressed up after I've worn my hair in a bun/knot on top of my head for 574 consecutive days.

2. Grown-up nights out on the town.

3. Laughing my head off with my girls.

4. Taking over the Ta-Ta ball.

5. Killer heels that don't hurt my feet after a night of dancing.


Day 68:

1. Warm nights.

2. Bare legs and sundresses. At this point in my life, I'm past the point of caring that my skin is maybe only slightly darker than this computer screen. I hate wearing tights/leggings.

3. Turning the air on for the first time since the fall.

4. Being mistaken for a 20-something. With 3 kids and a mini-van, I take my kicks where I can get them. :-)

5. Having a To Do list that is achievable.

Days 61 & 62...

Day 61:
In honor of our March 2 snow day...
1. building a snowman with my kiddies. Nevermind that I do all the work, nor that my snowman-building attention span will only allow me to make one snow "little person." The point is that my kids think it's the greatest thing ever. The building of the snowman is superseded only by the putting on of the face. Two years ago, we used Lifesavers... which -- f.y.i. -- bleed when placed in snow. This year, we used raisins, the end of a cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and some cappuccino pirouine cookies. Would've been great, but I kept having to remind Laney not to eat the face-making supplies... plus, the hair (cookies) and nose (cucumber) and part of the mouth (tomatoes) fell off approximately twenty minutes after completion.
2. making snow angels. The post-snow angel chill from snow in your pants and wet clothes plastered to your back is totally worth it.
3. exhausted post-snow adventure sleep... for the kids as well as myself.
4. wrapping my kids up in 27 layers of clothes so that they look like the kid from "A Christmas Story."
5. the way fresh snow looks... you know, before dogs/kids/vermin make tracks across it.

Day 62:
It's been one year today since my Pop died. I am not normally one to observe these kinds of anniversaries; I never understood, until now, why people dwell on the day they lost a loved one. Pop is the first person in my immediate family to die in all of my 31 years, and I'm here to tell you that while you learn to function again, it still hurts just as much today as it did when my dad called me at school last March. Some days are good, and I can talk about him without tearing up. Some days... not so much. Every day, though, I am aware of his influence on me, of the zillions of things that I loved about him, of how blessed I am that I had so much time with him... and those are the things I celebrate.
1. Pop's love for hats. Bless him, he didn't have much hair (ever) when I knew him, so he always wore hats when it was cold. My favorites were the ones that looked like those newspaper reporters wore back in the day... specifically his black & white tweedish one... but he was also known to wear a newsboy cap every now and then.
2. Pop's smile. I've probably blogged about this before, but Pop had a great smile. Lit up his face. When he walked into a room, whether it be on a visit or into a sanctuary, his smile could almost physically light up the room. It was amazing. I learned a lot about presence from him. He definitely had it, and his smile was part of his secret formula.
3. The Bible he brought me from the Holy Land. It's one of my most treasured possessions.
4. The way he loved my grandmother. Y'all, you've never seen a man sit on as many mall benches, waiting for the woman he loved to shop. I don't ever remember hearing him say one cross word to her or about her. Even when he wasn't quite aware of what was going on or who was who, he always knew and asked for my grandmother.
5. Pop's funny little habits. Until the last few years of his life, I don't ever remember seeing him wear anything other than a dress shirt and usually a tie. He walked really early in the mornings, and he carried a stick. Just in case. He always wore a bathrobe and slippers around the house. He wore the same aftershave for as long as I can remember -- some version of Old Spice. He took a nap in the recliner on Sunday afternoons. He loved to trade cars. He didn't listen to the radio. He loved sweets and nuts. He often cracked himself up, which cracked me up. He couldn't hear worth anything as he got older, and he did not like wearing his hearing aid. These are the things I love to think about, to remember, to laugh about with my family because Pop was just Pop. You got exactly what you saw, nothing more, nothing less.

Days 59 & 60

For the record, I didn't publish that last post until Friday. It was originally "A Week's Worth... Plus 1 Day," but when I didn't finish it on Thursday, I had to change the title. I'm not cheating, I promise.

Day59:
1. unexpectedly running into old friends.
2. finally being able to wear that really cute dress I bought.
3. finding a purple shirt to wear with my orange & purple scarf.
4. my orange and purple scarf. Whoever designed it knew that I have a hard time finding clothes for Clemson games.
5. scarves on clearance... which means I can buy 47 scarves for the price of 1. Doesn't make me feel guilty.

Day 60:
1. SNOW DAYS!!!! I really don't like the idea of having to go a day when it's warm to make up the time... but snow days, minus that, rock!
2. huge, ginormous snow flakes.
3. making snow cream. I have no clue how to make it, really, but we used to make it with Hazel when I was little.
4. the 12'2" snowman that Aaron L. made for us (being Jay, Julie, Jenn, and me) when we were little. It was beyond huge. We have a Polaroid of it somewhere.
5. my red snowsuit. I loved that thing; begged to wear it even when it wasn't snowing. (Mary refused that request every time.) It was a one-piece snowsuit with white furry stuff around the hood. I could make snow angels all day and never get snow in my pants.

A Week's Worth... + 2 Days...

Geez. The past week has been crazy hectic, and right this minute I have approximately 734 things/people that are demanding my attention, but I am through being responsible and pleasant. I just realized that the more I try to accomplish, the more stuff will appear on my To Do list. I'm rebelling against... I don't know what... but I'm rebelling.

Day 50:

1. biscuits and gravy.

2. bracelets. Lots of bracelets.

3. notepads.

4. new EXPO markers for my board.

5. finding the remote for my ELMO just when I think the black hole on my desk has sucked it in.

Day 51:

1. a night with nothing to do.

2. string cheese.

3. magnetic picture sleeves.

4. bow ties on little boys.

5. seersucker.

Day 52:

1. Laney's insistence on calling my grandmothers by their first names. She's so sassy!

2. people watching. It's a favorite pastime in our family. I used to feel bad about getting such a kick out of people's weird ways, but I figure I've given other people-watchers a laugh or two...

3. dancing in the car when a good song comes on. Ethan & Laney do it, too. You should see us break it down when "Womanizer" comes on.

4. crushed ice.

5. fun friends.

Day 53:

1. when Children's Church is over...

2. the public library.

3. the Bookmobile.

4. the ice cream truck.

5. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." Great memories of middle/junior high school dances...

Day 54:

1. pictures that my kiddies draw for me.

2. our French door art gallery.

3. that our refrigerator is a magnetic tribute to our kids, families, and friends.

4. mornings when I was little when I got ready before everybody else and could watch a little TV. "Bewitched" always came on right about the time we were leaving... made me sad...

5. hiding places. As a child, 1. My closet behind my mom's long dresses, 2. the dryer. Now, 1. my closet. 2. Sam's room.

Day 55:

1. "Designing Women." At this point in my life, I want to be like Julia. When I get old, I want to be like Berneice.

2. "Three's Company." Growing up, I thought it would be sooooo cool to have a male roommate. Mary and Ken didn't see things my way.

3. "The Dukes of Hazard." I remember sliding through the rolled down windows of Toad's red Chevy... at least, until he came out and saw what I was doing. I didn't want to be Daisy; I wanted to be one of the Duke boys. Now, I'd settle for looking like Daisy did back then.

4. "Alvin & the Chipmunks" and "The Chipettes." Theodore and his chubby girlfriend were my favorites. I think my mom still has the Arby's collectible glasses in the cabinet somewhere.

5. "Simon & Simon." I had the hots for AJ. I think this fostered my love of detective shows.

Day 56:

1. a great sale on a great dress.

2. finding surprises for the kids that I know they will love.

3. grocery shopping.

4. finding a card in the card store that makes me laugh out loud.

5. nice salespeople.

Day 57:

1. when people bring Diet Coke to functions so I don't have to wonder what I'm going to drink.

2. eating a slice of cheesecake because it is calling my name LOUDLY and still losing weight.

3. watching Ethan wrestle for the first time. He TOTALLY doesn't take it seriously, but he kicks hiney at the Spider game...

4. Sam's jabbering that wakes me up at 4 AM. Can't get mad because he's just so happy to be here... and that sound -- it's like the sweetest symphony! If I have to wake up at 4 am, that's the sound I want to wake up to...

5. Ethan's version of history. They are learning about The Statue of Liberty in school right now, and he's trying to teach me. It's hilarious! So far, I know that she lives on an island -- not Ellis Island, Mommy! Just an island! -- and that she's green. What we don't know is why she's green or why she's holding fire. I think he missed those parts when his ADD kicked in...

Day 58:

1. anticipating the weekend.

2. feeling productive.

3. broccoli.

4. mushrooms.

5. asparagus.

Days 48 & 49

Day 48:
I found a bunch of my coaching stuff... made me reminisce a little...
1. my coaching tshirts. K hates them, says they're atrocious. My favorite is the one the proclaims as THE QUEEN in large, cheap block letters across the back.
2. blowing a whistle. I forgot to use it half the time, but it made me feel kind of official.
3. watching my girls after a win -- and knowing how hard they worked for it.
4. bus rides to games -- except for the season that I was pregnant with Laney. Those made me sick.
5. the thrill of coaching. I miss it so much -- but I know that I'd be crazy to get back into it right now with three kids. Still... coaching volleyball gave me killer arm muscles... nothing like hitting 763 balls per practice to make you look like you trained Mr. T....

Day 49:
1. When America has sense. We may not be able to manage money worth a crap, but at least we had the sense to vote Tatiana off of American Idol. I was worried after the whole Sanjaya incident...
2. The red ju-ju hearts that come out at Valentine's. Yum! Could eat the whole bag.
3. Girl Scout cookies. Specifically Peanut Butter Patties, Caramel Delights, and Shortbreads. You can keep your Thin Mints. They make me want to throw up.
4. Sam in his "Ladies Man" tshirt. I bought it for him to wear to school for Valentine's Day, but he was home sick. It isn't specifically Valentine's wear, though, so he wore it today. He cracked himself up... which cracked me up.
5. Friends in The Know. It amazes me that I have friends who can help with just about any problem... and that are willing to share their knowledge/contacts/resources.

Day 46 & 47...

Day 46:
1. hanging out with Pearle. She makes me laugh, AND she doesn't mind talking talking about my Pop, who is one of my Top 10 Favorite People of All Time.
2. being busy. Sometimes, I think I over-commit, and I'm sure some of my friends/family would say I do... but I really love the sense of accomplishing things. Besides, if I wasn't busy, I'd have no excuse for being a poor housekeeper.
3. Bingo. We had a Valentine's banquet at church yesterday, and it makes me laugh to no end at the crazy intensity that Bingo creates in people. I mean, people will cut you for less than jostling their Bingo cards. We also play Bingo at my family reunion every year, and I remember some instances when people got huffy over who was getting what prize.
4. The rare occasion when K gets up with a baby without me having to ask. He "pretends" to sleep, so I -- being the lighter sleeper -- wake up... and I think I've blogged about this before... but by the time I get him up, it TOTALLY defeats the purpose of me not having to get up... which is to be able to sleep. Anyway, last night, he got up with Sam without me asking, and it was B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.
5. Catnaps that make you feel refreshed and not like you're coming to after being hit by a bus.

Day 47:
1. students who actually keep up with handouts.
2. that one student who was paying attention when I gave an assignment and has no problem 1) calling out the others by saying, "She did give us that project -- last Tuesday!" and 2) turning in magnificent work on time.
3. spring catalogs arriving in the mail.
4. the first hint of spring in the air.
5. spring fever. I've got it. Can you tell? I'm so tired of cold weather and heavy clothes and bundling up. My flip-flops are getting restless.

Day Something That I Can't Remember Because I Forgot To Look...

1. Corn-on-the-cob. Preferably fresh and grilled, but I'll take it any way you make it. Butter. A little salt. Pepper. Ideally, it'd be on the same plate with some kind of grilled or boiled shrimp, sliced fresh tomatoes sprinkled with salt and pepper, and homemade cheese grits...and some sweet cantaloupe, if it's available. But, again-- I'll take it any way you make it.
2. A pretty pedicure... which reminds me... I need one. :-P
3. Teaching my kids things that my parents and grandparents taught me. Tonight, Ethan, Laney, and I made dinner. Homemade pizza and brownies. Not the most nutritious, I know, but they love helping in the kitchen... mixing up stuff, setting the table, etc. I don't know if they'll remember these kinds of things or not, but I still remember standing in a chair in our kitchen, helping my mom bake cookies... or in Hazel's kitchen, measuring out ingredients (but OH MY GOSH -- how I hated setting the table at her house! Was so glad when Lindsey got old enough to take over that duty!)... or in Pearle's kitchen, making macaroni & cheese. Provided they don't keel over from salmonella poisoning because I let them lick the brownie batter bowl, I hope they'll share the same kind of stuff with their kids...
4. Mac's cheeseburgers and milkshakes... although I've learned the hard way that Mac & his helpers don't like making milkshakes and will sometimes refuse if they don't feel like it. This frustrates me to no end, but what can you do? I just always hope I catch them in the milkshake-making mood...
5. making homemade Valentines with the older kids... even if they do fight like Tom & Jerry. Their cards are so funny and original and priceless. I can't say this will be a new tradition, as it sort of made me feel like drop-kicking them both in the teeth, but it was sooo worth it to see their pride in their creations.

Days 40, 41, 42, 43, & 44

Sorry, Lindsey... that obviously didn't help. This week has been crazy. For starters, Sam & E have been sick. Sick kids always throw the schedule waaaay out of whack. And, for what it's worth, they haven't been sick-sick simultaneously. E started out the week, and Sam is finishing it up... although Sam has been kinda puny all week.

Ok, I have to admit this, too, because I am not sure whether to laugh or cry. With all of the school budget cuts, we're having to forgo subs, which means that instead of having time to plan these fabulous lessons we are supposed to teach, we have to cover other people's classes. I really don't mind doing this, except 1 -- no one will ever have to cover my classes for an entire day because I have no more sick days, 2 -- it never fails that I have to cover when I have a ton of stuff to do.

Like today.

I just called Marble Slab Creamery to see what time they open, only to find the number has been disconnected.

Normally, that wouldn't alarm me, EXCEPT I just sent Marble Slab gift cards to school with my kids for their teachers' Valentine's gifts.

So, now I am in a quandary. I have to replace those cards with something they might use -- the closest store is now about 30 minutes away. AND I had to cover a class this morning, so I had a while to stew over this mess when I normally would be working and focusing on other things.

I wonder if their teachers are going to talk about me in the Teachers' Lounge....



Day 40:
1. Jack Johnson's "Banana Pancakes."
2. "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid soundtrack.
3. Air Supply.
4. Chicago.
5. Kenny Rogers from back in tha day.

Day 41:
1. "Physical" - Olivia Newton John -- I remember working out to this song with my Get In Shape Girl! gear.
2. "Eye of the Tiger" -- and most of Survivor's other big hits.
3. "The Sweetest Thing" -- Juice Newton.
4. Prince from the 80s.
5. Kool and the Gang. Old school.

Day 42:
1. John Cougar - before he became Mellencamp -- when he was all about "Jack and Diane" and "Hurt So Good."
2. Bruce Springsteen from the 80s and maybe early 90s -- "Glory Days" and whatnot.
3. "Sherry" - Steve Perry
4. "Let's Hear It for the Boy."
5. Whitney Houston -- "Saving All My Love for You" and her other dance hits.

Day 43:
1. Madonna when she was the Material Girl -- "Papa Don't Preach" era.
2. The Bangles -- "Walk Like an Egyptian" and "Manic Monday."
3. George Michael's "Faith" album.
4. Debbie Gibson -- "Electric Youth" album.
5. Tiffany -- "I Think We're Alone Now" -- preferably the rendition by my Clemson girls this summer @ the Chick-Fil-A when we were trapped during the storm. Our children were mesmerized. Or traumatized. One or the other...

Day 44:
1. stain spray. Just realized the highlighter I keep clipped to my lanyard at school has been laying in my lap for a few minutes. Nice yellow stain on my pretty pink pants.
2. clown cones from Baskin Robbins.
3. knowing that the school day is going to end. It cannot last forever.
4. baseball fields.
5. venting to my girls about men -- knowing they understand and are laughing because they, too, have felt like selling their husbands as mail-order spouses to scary, hairy, beastly women in Yugoslavia.

Day 38 & 39

Lindsey, my younger cousin who is really more like the 16-year old daughter I don't have, apparently does not like it that I miss days... so I'm going to try to do better... just because I don't like making her life difficult or disappointing her. Iz, I can't say I'll be great at it... but I'm going to try, Princess. Be patient, Priss. :-)




Day 38:
1. a room lit with lamps instead of overhead lights. Just seems so warm and inviting.
2. my Wonder Woman ring.
3. getting flowers at school... although this never happens on Valentine's because my school won't accept any deliveries on Valentine's Day.
4. Snickers ice cream bars.
5. being on-campus @ Clemson. I L.O.V.E. that place...

Day 39:
1. Ethan's tendency to make up the rules to any and every game... oddly enough, it always works out that his rules help him win...
2. finding the perfect card.
3. listening to my grandparents' stories... Granted, I've heard some of them 500 times... I heard Granny B.'s rendition of when Papa Max saw her across the churchyard twice today... but I love peeking into their history.
4. finding the caramels in a box of chocolates.
5. wandering aimlessly in a store when I have no children in tow.

Days 36 & 37 of 365

The past two weeks have been uncharacteristically hectic, and nothing proves that more than the fact that I am happily sitting at home in my bathrobe -- my lovely, trusty bathrobe -- blogging away on a Friday night. I used to think Friday nights were for social, fun events, but that was before 3 kids and one alarmingly twilight-zoned husband zapped all my energy like my childhood neighbor's bug zapper used to zap all kinds of creepy itty bitty varmints.



Day 36:
1. margaritas the size of my head.
2. getting text messages when I'm bored.
3. color coordination.
4. driving a stick shift.
5. rollerskating in Pat & Jimmy's basement to "Jack & Diane."

Day 37:
1. multi-syllable words that are fun to say... like "tumultuous" and "brouhaha."
2. a warm day to end a cold spell.
3. finding a package on the front porch that I wasn't expecting.
4. going to the zoo.
5. getting chapstick for Christmas when I was little. Yeah, I ate it... but it was good, and it didn't kill me.

Day 35?

Gah.

Why can't the days of one month just continue on where the last one left off... Feb. 32, Feb. 33... Numbers are not my forte, and the days of numerical title abandonment seem to be looming just over the horizon...

For today, however, I will pretend that it is Day 35, even though I am not sure that is the next post number.

1. realizing mid-run that it doesn't hurt anymore. That is why I run; after the initial pain, it is just an amazing high.
2. taking off teeth-whitening strips. I hate those suckers, but I drink 74.2 Diet Cokes per day, so I decided to start the whitening process this morning. It stinks, BUT the highlight is that eventually, I get to take them off. :-)
3. K wearing his slipper sox to the store. Jay & Nikki gave K these horrendous slipper sox for Christmas a few years back, and he wears them religiously in the cold weather. Now, I am currently sitting here, swaddled in my robe, but at least my robe is pretty. The slipper sox are my least favorite item of clothing he owns -- besides the mock turtlenecks... but those are another story by themselves. Anyway, K has no qualms about wearing his slipper sox to the store for late night runs. Once they are on, they don't come off... apparently. "This is how I roll," he says. I say, "If you roll like that, maybe you should just stay home."
4. Ethan's "Who Let the Letters Out?" song. Yes, that's right. He sings the entire alphabet as well as the sounds they make to the tune of "Who Let the Dogs Out?" Who says 5K doesn't rock?!? Laney and I have a dance party every time he breaks it down...
5. getting rid of the mountain o' mail that usually adorns our kitchen counter. It takes a certain mood and some quality time with the shredder, but it is just lovely to have open, uncluttered counters.

Days...

31, 32, & 33.

Waaaayyyy behind. I know.



Day 31:
1. The satisfaction of finishing a good book.
2. The anticipation of looking for a new book.
3. Unlimited time to browse in the bookstore.
4. Sitting on the floor in the "Travel" section of the bookstore, browsing and dreaming... K & I used to do this when we were dating. Once, when he thought we might possibly be moving to Montana for his job, we were disturbed to learn that there are more wild, ferocious animals per square mile than humans in Montana. You can't imagine the sigh of relief that followed the news that we weren't going.
5. Imagining what the cover of my Great American Novel is going to look like. :-)

Day 32:
1. Days my mom makes lunch or dinner for us. I love to cook, but dang! A day off here and there is niiiiiccccceeee!
2. My mom having a Facebook page! I still can't believe it -- and I'm not 100% sure that she knows how to check it, but still! It's very impressive for a woman who isn't quite sure how to open email attachments!
3. Spending time with my brother & sister-in-law. I know they breathe a sigh of relief when we leave with our mass menagerie of kids... :-)
4. Super Bowl grub. I love a good excuse to eat!
5. Valentine's Little Debbie Cakes. I know they have 4.2 million calories per bite, but I don't care. I could eat the whole box.

Day 33:
1. Photographic trips down Memory Lane. I might poke Mark in the eye for posting those pics of me, but what a laugh!!!
2. The idea that I might've had a mullet. I'm hoping I didn't, but the idea of it just makes me laugh my head off! I hope that one is exempt from "Fashion Disaster" status while your parents are responsible for dressing you. :-)
3. Anticipating snow... even if it's just a little. Just the sight of a few flakes immediately turns me into an awe-struck five year old! I don't care about accumulation; it's just the magic of it all!
4. Getting a run in after a few weeks off.
5. Trying a new recipe and having it turn out fab-u-lous. This is a tough house to cook for, but Herb-Mustard Pork Chops were a hit!

Day 29 & 30

Day 29

1. lipgloss. Really, I like just about any type of lipgloss, but I am particularly partial to the kind with the little wand with the spongy end. I'm not really sure why.

2. the skinny markers from Crayola.

3. decorating my classroom.

4. seeing the American flag blowing in the breeze. As a child, I was really partial to the one above the local Hardee's that was almost bigger than the restaurant, but I've come to respect the quiet dignity of the smaller flag as well.

5. hugging Toad. My head fits right in beneath his chins and his shoulder, and he always smells good and clean. Many a problem in my life have been solved with a hug from that man.





Day 30

1. monkeys. So cute. Always wanted one but my mom always said they were nasty and carried diseases. So do a lot of people I come in contact with on a daily basis, but we don't put them in cages... well, at least, not all of them.

2. Fridays at 3:41. It's such a rush to know the full weekend lies ahead. You'd think it'd get old, but it doesn't... not so much.

3. Any kind of covered dish dinner. At church...at school...doesn't matter. I'm all about a good grub.

4. riding 4-wheelers. We don't have one for big people (both of the kids have youth-sized ones), so I don't get to ride that often... but I do love to tear off across a field at full speed. Brings out the country/'neck girl in me.

5. finding out the story. I like for things to have meaning -- objects, names, events, whatever -- as often as possible. And I like to know what those things mean. Laney, for example, was named after my dad, whose middle name is Lane. People always ask where her name came from or if she was named after the Hawaiian name, and I always have a story to tell.

Day 28

1. running on the beach early in the morning.
2. seeing things through my kids' eyes.
3. Cocoa Puffs.
4. breakfasts in "the room" off of the KHS cafeteria with my boys.
5. The Citadel's Dog Days.

Day 27

1. The song "Elvira."
2. The unpredictability of my job.
3. Good leftovers.
4. A good run on a crisp morning when the air is just cold enough to make your lungs kinda pop as you take that first deep breath.
5. Being comfortable in my skin. Finally.

Day 26

1. filling our flowerbeds and planters in the spring.
2. Girls Night Out.
3. riding horses. I hardly ever get to ride, but it's still a rush for me. One day, I'll have a horse. Of course, I'll also have to have a stable boy because I'm not much on cleaning out stalls...
4. getting a surprise package or card or letter. It just makes my day sooooo much better!
5. freshly sharpened pencils with really, really sharp points. The kind that you aren't supposed to throw because they could put your eye out. I especially like a bunch of them together. I'm not really sure why -- just makes me feel like I'm about to embark on some really big, important task that requires a lot of sharp pencils.

So, this Days of Grace thing... I really like blogging about it, and it does me a world of good to sit and think about the positive things in my life when I am usually so sarcastic. Apparently, though, I'm getting more out of it than warm fuzzies. I posted yesterday that finding money in my pockets is one of the things that brightens my life. This morning, I found $11 in the pocket of one of my winter coats. $11.50, to be exact. Woo-hoo! I mean, I didn't hit the lottery or anything, but that's $11.50 that I didn't have yesterday. I was sending the jacket with K to the dry-cleaners, and it might even pay for the dry-cleaning... or K's lunch... either is an option since I gave him the $10 and kept the $1.50 for myself. Generous spirit, I know. I kinda like being his Sugar Mama. :-)

Days 22, 23, 24, & 25

Soooo.... I'm behind. Try to hide your shock and amazement.



Day 22

1. bookshelves overflowing with books. They're like aisles in a candy store for me. If only I had time to read them all...
2. finding THE perfect gift for someone. The excitement is almost unbearable... I've been known to call people and tell them because I can't wait. My mom, for example, doesn't mind. In fact, she used to know most things my dad bought for her because he'd tell me, and well... I wasn't so good at keeping a good secret...
3. Laney in a swimsuit. Girlfriend works that round belly and ghetto booty like nobody's business. And dares anyone to tell her any different.
4. Ethan's bat face. When he gets really tickled, he crinkles up his nose and shows his teeth when he laughs... and he looks like a baby bat. Makes me laugh.
5. pineapples. Symbolic of southern hospitality.



Day 23

1. Speaking of hospitality -- I love to entertain. Sometimes it's a little overwhelming when I'm preparing dinner for 25 or trying to plan a party, but I love nothing more than having a house full of the people I love.
2. cookbooks. I never understood how my mom could collect cookbooks until I began to truly love cooking. Now, I'm a cookbook freak. I also never thought I'd spend more time reading cookbooks than real books, but as it turns out, that happens, too.
3. matching scarves and gloves and hats. I don't get to wear them as much here because winter weather in SC can be a 60 degree day, but I love them regardless.
4. "Dirty Dancing" and its soundtrack. I remember that my friend Kelley's mom wouldn't let us watch the movie (we were in, like, 6th grade), but we watched it while she was out running errands. Ever since then, I've had a crazy affinity for Patrick Swayze's "She's Like the Wind." I know most people rank it up there as one of the worst songs ever, but it makes my heart skip a beat.
5. tiaras. I'd wear one every day if I could. I feel that maybe I was accidentally switched at birth and that my kingdom is waiting for me to return and be their ruler.



Day 24

1. new running shoes.
2. finding money in my pockets that I didn't realize was there.
3. hotels. I love hotels. Would live in one if I could.
4. long lunches with my girls from school. We once went out for breakfast and were still at the same restaurant come lunchtime. I think, given enough time and good food, we could solve the world's problems.
5. getting dressed up for dinner. I have come to appreciate what was once a frequent occurrence in my life: dinner at a good restaurant. Now that we have to find a sitter and make plans 20 months in advance, good dinners are few and far between, but I love sitting down to a meal at a table with a real tablecloth, a real place setting, and no plastic place mats adorned with Dora and Diego. Makes me feel like a grown-up.



Day 25

1. Sam falling asleep in my arms. Knowing that this is the last baby I'm going to have, I find myself marveling at the wonders of motherhood like it's my first time.
2. Laney's new haircut. I finally tired of battling the unruliness that is Laney's hair when long, and I had it cut into a bob. So cute on her, and she is so proud of her new 'do. It frames her precious little face, and I can barely keep from pinching her little cherubic cheeks.
3. Ethan's baby curls. Y'all, he was a 30-lb. monster baby at age 1, but his hair was beautiful. All kinds of soft curls around his little chubby face. Sigh.
5. My stand-mixer. It was a birthday gift from K, and I will say, it ranks right up there as one of my best gifts ever. Instead of buying it for me, he allowed me the bliss of being able to select it myself. As if I hadn't visited the stand-mixers in Williams-Sonoma at least once a week for years, I stood there for almost an hour, just admiring them in all of their shiny, lacquered glory. I mean, I already knew I was going to get the black one, but I considered the stainless (fingerprints), the red (might not go in every kitchen -- good thing since I changed kitchen decor that next year, and there's not a stitch of red anywhere in my kitchen now), the yellow (too 70s), and the white (would've blended into the wall at our old house; I wanted my stand-mixer to have presence!). After making enough of 3 types of cookies to serve 100+ people at K's work by using a hand-mixer while 7 months pregnant with Ethan, I felt that I deserved the stand-mixer, but still... pulling up to W-S's back door and letting them load it into my car was one of the most blissful moments of my life.

Day 20 & 21

I know, I know. I'm slack this week... Sorry! :-)

Day 20:
1. Pleasant surprises.
2. Peyton Manning. Peyton? Payton? Whatever. He makes me laugh.
3. Waking up early and not feeling like I need to sleep another 12 hours.
4. The incredible maturity with which my students handled watching the inauguration. They make me so proud!
5. Being loved. :-)

Day 21:
1. Seeing Sam's head raise up out of his bassinett. He reminds me of a little turtle when his little head (and I mean that literally since his head is probably 1/3 the size of Ethan's and Laney's) starts bobbing around as he takes in his surroundings.
2. Target. I lllooooovvvvvveeeee Target. It is one of my happy places.
3. My new Wonder Woman READ poster. I'm a superfly English nerd, and I know it. Don't care. It will be going up in my room behind my desk where no one can touch it. If I could enshrine it in a bulletproof, airless case, I would. It should be preserved for all future generations to enjoy.
4. Old people who are still in love. My grandparents were still crazy in love after 60+ years of marriage, and it was the sweetest thing in the world to observe how my grandfather's face -- even when his dementia transported him to his own little world -- would just light up when my grandmother walked in the room.
5. K's little boy habits... like dunking his Oreos and eating Cookie Crisp and being beyond ridiculous to wake up in the mornings. I mean, most mornings, that whole ridiculousness of waking up routine makes me want to say curse words in 74 languages, but for the first minute, he really is cute.

Day 19 of 365

1. daffodils blooming at the first sign of spring weather
2. finding a great bag -- and then finding that it's on sale! :-)
3. flip-flops. Specifically my brown leather Reefs as well as my black Reefs. Both are worn out, but try as I may to replace them with other pairs/brands... none can compare. I will probably wear these until they wear out...
4. sundresses
5. downtown Clemson... especially on a fall Saturday night after a big win

Day 18

1. Lazy days with the fam.
2. The funny things that my kids ask. Ethan just asked me if I was going to carry K to bed like I carry him to bed when he falls asleep on the couch. Heck no, kid. I'm not asking for a hernia.
3. Chicken gnocchi soup from Olive Garden. Sigh. Contentment in a bowl.
4. The feeling of relief knowing that I don't have school tomorrow.
5. A warm drink on a cold night.

Day... Something

I forgot to follow my fool-proof protocol, so I don't know what day it is... although I know that it's the same as whatever day in January it is... although I don't know that, either, because I didn't have school today and write it at the top of my board. Boo.



1. Snufflupagas. We went to see Sesame Street Live today, and it was actually rather enjoyable. I was sorely disappointed that Snuffie wasn't there, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that both Cookie Monster and Elmo can dance -- for real. Like, I'd go clubbing with them.
2. fitting back into pre-pregnancy skinny jeans. Now, it wasn't like they just slid on, and I'm sure they don't look exactly as good as they did when I wore them and wasn't 3 months post-partum... but you know what? I don't care. All I care about is that these jeans are on my body 9 months ahead of when I got them on last time.
3. a milk chocolate Symphony bars. We're supposedly starting our big shape-up on Monday, so I bought 2 to enjoy this weekend. I fully intend to ingest every bit of both bars... 900 calories apiece. I just looked. I probably shouldn't eat anything else.... but I will... and I'll enjoy it all. Every last calorie.
4. Laney's "sneaking." On her tiptoes, hands extended above her head with her thumbs sticking out, she attempts -- at least once per evening -- to sneak up on us. She isn't quiet, so she is never successful... in fact, she looks like a ballerina skittering along on toe shoes... and she sounds like a small water buffalo. I'm guessing she'll never make a good ninja or spy, but that's ok because she makes me laugh.
5. learning new things. Today, I learned how to select and peel an avocado. I also learned that I do indeed like cotton candy, although the smell of it often makes my gag reflex kick in (long story -- cotton candy overdose at the circus when I was 5). I learned that there is a Hispanic monster on Sesame Street, that Ethan wants to be a police officer like his Uncle Jay, and that The Beacon's sweet tea is offensive to my taste buds but I am too scared of the people who work there (because they are serious about their business) to ask if I can get something else.

Day 16 of 365

1. Darius Rucker's voice. I love a man with a nice voice, and I could listen to his all day. Plus, he's hot.
2. Tom Jones' voice. Ok, so he's not hot... but he is sexy. His voice rocks.
3. The lead singer from Nickelback's voice. Wow. Not into the long-haired, alternative rocker look, but dang... his voice is incredible. I almost added the lead singer from Hinder's voice as #4, but I can't stand watching him sing because he reminds me of a bad Steven Tyler impersonator... so even though I love his voice, I have to think about other things while he sings. :-(
4. My dad singing. He has a lovely voice, but it's below bass. Cracks me up.
5. The Statler Brothers. Specifically, the little guy with the high voice and the big guy who looks kinda like a Saint Bernard with the really deep voice. Favorite songs: "Flowers on the Wall" and "Elizabeth." Tried to get somebody to go with me to see them in concert a few years ago, but I couldn't find any takers. Don't understand it. :-(

Day 15 of 365

Let me just say that today was an early release day for my students, so I've been slaving away over grades and whatnot for most of the day. I finally got my grades exported and started chipping away at my school TO DO list. I've got my iTunes pumping, and I felt like I was sort of being productive because I cleared off the surfaces on my computer desk.

As of this moment, though, I am being attacked by some atrocious fumes from the janitor's cleaning products. Our school is impressively clean, and I am super grateful for the awesome team that cleans our school, but this woman (not my regular janitor) is seriously about to run me out of my own room. Now, it's spotless in here, but I may pass out from hazardous chemical inhalation.

Anyway.

I just wanted to post that, along with my list for today, in case I don't make it home. If there's no post tomorrow, please send someone to look for me.

I'll be the unconscious body on the floor in "my" corner of my classroom, foaming at the mouth and convulsing from overdose of cleaning chemical fumes.

Gah.



Now on to happy thoughts...

1. Friday Night Lights. I'm really not much of a TV watcher (seriously -- even though I keep posting about shows I watch. Grey's. FNL. American Idol. That's all. Well, except Heroes on occasion.), but once a show catches my attention, I am faithful. I love football. I love high school. I love The South. It makes sense that a show about a southern high school football team would be a favorite, but I seriously am semi-obsessed with the show in a way I am not about most. I watch it religiously. I talk about it with my fellow super-crazy-fans (well, at least with Teri. She's the only one.). I actually check the website for info and updates. I know. I'm a little embarrassed, but y'all. Coach Taylor is hot. And I want to be hot like Tammy when I'm older. And I love a hot football coach. Have I mentioned that I love Coach Taylor?
2. Unexpected free time with no kids. Yes, I could probably be productive but I'd rather wander aimlessly through Target.
3. The quote "Well-behaved women rarely make history." I don't know off the top of my head who said it -- I think I'm doing great to remember the quote, given my typical mental jumble. I don't know that I'll make history, but I like to think that I will... and I think this quote justifies me acting afool.
4. 3-ring binders. I've mentioned my affinity for organization... and this includes my school stuff. Seriously -- going into an office supply store makes my heart beat faster. I ask for school supplies as gifts on a regular basis, but I rarely get them because people think I'm kidding. I asked K for an electric pencil sharpener for Christmas, but he didn't get me one because he thought I was just trying to be practical. Negative. Just want a new electric pencil sharpener to replace the one my sub broke while I was out on maternity leave, and I never think to buy one. Anyway, 3-ring binders with the plastic sleeves on the outside covers -- they are third only to Flair pens and index cards in my book. I love them.
5. Billy Graham. He is one of my heroes -- probably #1 on my list of people I want to meet before I die. I'm probably one of the few people my age who have actually been to a Billy Graham crusade. It was amazing, by the way -- music by George Beverly Shea, a little preaching from Billy, a guest appearance by Franklin Graham. Rev. Graham's voice, his message delivery, his example as a man of God -- I am just amazed by all of it. I've actually considered driving to his home in NC, but you know, I don't want to scare the man. Maybe I'll take Hazel. People have a hard time turning her down.

Day 14 of 365

This new strategy is working like a charm. :-)

A couple of side notes:

1 -- Ethan is hilarious. He often just kind of calls people whatever he wants their names to be... but this morning, I was looking through the faculty list at his school, searching for an email contact. I happened to notice that there are two PE coaches. This surprised me because I've only heard him talk about one -- Coach Rissom (or Rizzom or something like that). He LOVES Coach Rissom, and every Monday and Thursday, he reminds me RELIGIOUSLY that he has to wear tennis shoes because they have gym that day, and if he doesn't wear tennis shoes, he can't play, and he doesn't want to disappoint Coach Rissom. I mean, I get that entire speech every Monday and Thursday. So. Anyway. I'm looking through the list, and I notice the two PE teachers. Then I notice that neither of them is named Coach Rissom.

I'm shocked.

And then, I'm concerned. Who is this person Ethan talks about non-stop?

And then I notice that one of them is named Coach Whittam... which I could see how, if Ethan thought that the name was too hard to say, he might just transform it into something a little easier... like Rissom.

I laughed out loud. I imagine that this man has given up trying to get Ethan to say his name correctly, but I also imagine that he is keenly aware that Ethan calls him by the wrong name because Ethan is 1) slightly obsessed with Coach Rissom, which means he probably talks the poor man's ear off and 2) Ethan (like me) is a name caller... as in, he calls people by their names all the time during conversation.

Personally, I prefer to call people by their first and last names... as in Bob Jones or Sally Singleton. I don't know why, but I just do. It makes me feel better.

Anyway, tonight's mission is going to be to teach Ethan how to say Coach Whittam/Rissom's name correctly.

2 -- Laney is just about too big for her britches. She totally called me out the other day for making a mess.
Laney: "Oooooooooh. Mommmy. Come 'ere." (She, for some reason, always says this in a very monotone voice with a very serious face. This is ALWAYS her preface for showing me something that is going to get someone in trouble.)
Me: "What is it, honey?"
Laney: "Oooooooooh. Mommy. Wook at dis..." (Part 2 of her "I'm about to get somebody in trouble" speech. Also said in monotone with straight face.)
Me: "What is it?!"
Laney: "Wook at dis mess!" (Pointing at a pile of stuff on the floor that I had just put down.)
Me: "What mess?"
Laney: "Dis mess!"
Me: "That's not a mess. I'm putting that stuff away."
Laney: "Mommy. You better cwean up dis mess! Wight now, missy!"

I won't continue the conversation, but let me just tell you -- there commenced to being a whole lot of finger-wagging and head-bobbing in my house at that point. I learn something new every day, and on that day, I learned that I do not take directions well from a two-year old.

Now, onto happier thoughts...

1. American Idol! It is my guilty pleasure, but I so love it and will tell anyone who will listen. I secretly have a little crush on Simon, although I think it's because he has a British accent and a lovely smile more so than his looks.
2. Pearls. Now, don't get me wrong... I haven't met many gemstones that I don't like... but I am especially fond of pearls. Maybe because I have a grandmother named Pearle. Maybe because my mom always wore pearls when I was little. I don't know. I just like them.
3. Loading new music to my i-pod. Love it when I'm running and a new song shuffles into my running playlist. On Saturday morning, I was running along when "Poison" by BelBivDevoe popped into my earbuds. All of a sudden, mile 2 was a little more fun...
4. Talking to Sam. He laughs at all my jokes and comments in all the right places, even though I can't understand his baby gibberish. I'm trying to teach him to say "I love you" because I think that his first tries will sound like "Wy wuff rou" -- like that dog on the old Little Caesar's commercials -- but so far, we haven't had much luck. I kind of think he's like the babies on "Baby Geniuses," so I imagine that he has great conversation with his nursery buddies about his crazy mama. "You shoulda seen her yesterday! She's still trying to get me to say 'I love you!'" I half expect him to just bust out with "I love you" in a Barry White voice to freak me out.
5. Word Girl. ETV has come a long way since I was a kid watching funky independent cartoons. Not only does Word Girl rock, but she also has a pet monkey, fights vocabulary ignorance, and gets to wear a relatively cute superhero costume. Not bad for a day's work...

Day 13 of 365

I think I've figured out the snafu. Before I put the date, I usually go about finding the "365 Days of Grace" seal... and therein lies the problem. Since it takes practically nothing to distract me, I forget what day it is before I get back to my blog to post the seal and day. SO. I'm going to get the seal first, and THEN open the new post window.

Anyway...

1. realizing that people do read my blog. I wondered if, when I started this 365 thing, people would be like, "Omg. We already have one Oprah! There isn't enough room for two!" but I've had several people let me know that they are still reading and like it. (Thanks, Lindsey & Laura!) And that makes me happy.
2. my children when they sleep. Not for the obvious reason that they are significantly less noisy when unconscious BUT instead because they are so peaceful and beautiful. It amazes me on a daily basis that those ginormous beings were once growing inside my belly. I don't really know how to explain it, but when I watch them sleeping so peacefully... when I can study the details of their little faces... it almost takes my breath away. For a woman who swore up and down for the first 24 years of her life that she didn't really want kids, it is beyond my realm of understanding how it is possible to love three creatures so much, so equally, so completely... but I do. They make me a better person every day that I share with them.
3. planning and organization. I L.O.V.E. a good plan. Why do I volunteer to do so much? Because I am addicted to planning. And listmaking. And organizing. It feeds the OCD monster in me.
4. a clean desk. Doesn't happen often, but when it does... man! It is beautiful! Sometimes, when it's clean, I just sit back at my computer and admire the beauty of my clean desk. *Sigh* I will add that it is not clean now, but I am anticipating cleanness shortly... like by the end of the week... and I can barely contain my excitement!
5. running pants. Specifically, my gray and black running pants that K bought me for Christmas last year. I would wear them every day, all day, if I could. With my robe. They are the most comfortable pieces of clothing I own, besides my robe(s) and my hand-dandy orange Clemson tshirts. PLUS -- they actually make my rear look like it exists instead of being just an extension of my back. :-)

Day... 12?

I think that, eventually (like, this week), I am going to blow the count on the days... bear with me.

1. Law & Order marathons. Lucky for me, they come on practically every other day.
2. James Bond movie marathons. I always notice something new... like last night. There were two belly-dancing women who got into a catfight. I must've fallen asleep during that part of the movie every time.
3. my white robe. Heck, any of my robes, really. I have two heavier ones -- the white one being my favorite -- and a summer weight robe. K was really glad when I started back to school because he didn't have to look at me wearing them all. the. time.
4. my stiletto collection. I L.O.V.E. shoes, specifically eye-catching shoes with eye-catching heel heights. Yes, I sometimes wobble and toddle like I just learned how to walk... and more than once, I've caught a heel in a crack or a hole and busted my face in public, but dang... not much makes me happier than finding a beautiful pair of shoes in my size that perfectly complements my wardrobe... or one item in my wardrobe... or one item I might one day buy for my wardrobe.
5. holding hands... with K or the kids or my grandma or whoever. While I have serious personal space issues (as in, don't invade it or I will freak), I do so love holding hands. It's almost therapeutic.

Day 11

1. "I Will Survive," "Grease Medley," and other songs that immediately make my college girlfriends and I break out into our nicely choreographed dances (hey -- don't laugh! We cleared many a dance floor with our impressive moves) while simultaneously making all of our husbands break for the door. I'm still not sure why it embarrasses them so to be married to such masterful dancers...
2. monograms. On anything.
3. Wonder Woman.
4. cow field campouts with my Ville friends in the old days. There's nothing like a bonfire and sleeping bags to draw a bovine crowd. I'm still not sure why any of our parents let us have co-ed slumber parties in the middle of a cow field -- or even in their houses -- but holy cow! (no pun intended) -- what incredible memories we made! The houses we rolled... the neighbors we annoyed... the things we did that weren't bad but that I won't mention because my parents still might ground me for them...
5. the awesome feeling of slight rebelliousness I felt after getting tattoos/my belly button pierced/cartilage piercings... which is addictive for someone who was always a very good girl... HOWEVER (as a disclaimer), it too quickly dissolved into a feeling of "I am so going to get ripped apart when my parents figure out what I've done." That feeling lasted much longer... :-)