Hello Blog

It has been exactly two weeks since I've blogged.  TWO WEEKS PEOPLE!  Life is just so dang busy.
Stop the planet.  I want to get off.

I decided I'd just list the fun facts I've learned the last 14 days.  On your mark.  Get set.  GO

1.  J Crew has discontinued it's educator's discount.  I need a moment........

2.  You can grow vegetables from kitchen scraps.  Right now I have both celery and red onion growing on my window sill.  I'll post pix later.  NO smarty, it won't be another 14 days until I do that.....

3.  409 spray cleaner must sit on the surface for 10 minutes in order to disinfect your countertops.  So now I spray, do a few more things, return in 10 minutes to wipe it down.  It's shinier if you wait, too.

4.  Church people can be mean.  I've always known that as I'm a regular church goer.  And being a regular church goer I fancied myself savvy enough in the ways of humans to overlook occasional out and out meanness.  Is overlooking it really just enabling it?  Sometimes you gotta make your way through the church people to find the Christ Followers.

5.  P90X works!  I stared the 90 day challenge on December 17.  Every morning since I've force myself out of bed and pushed play.  Did I miss a workout here and there?  Yes  Did I eat clean everyday?  No.  Did I quit? No!  I've lost 2 sizes.  TWO!  I've "only" lost 10 pounds and if I dwell on that I'll feel frustration.  But this morning I slipped into a size 12 and I was thrilled!  I think I'm addicted to it.  I check the calendar each evening to see which DVD is recommended.  I set up the workout clothes, shoes and yoga mat.  My alarm rings at 4:45am and by 5am I'm warming up.  By 6am I'm in the shower and I feel so GREAT!  Go!  NOW!  Get the program.

6.  The Engineer is more mature than I.

7.  I married up.



Toodles

Hello Spring!

It's a sunny day!  Yes, it's 45 degrees, but hey I see sunshine!

I've had a busy week.  Normal busy-ness and then some unexpected busy-ness so this blog has been neglected.  But I think about you every day, blog.  Does that count?

Today I'd like to address an issue that just bugs the tar out of me.



Yoga pants. 


 And not just yoga pants, I'm talking those skin tight spandex leggings.  Ladies, these are NOT PANTS.  Not REAL out in public pants.  Nobody wants to see your entire booty.  And that's what we see when you turn around.  There is NOTHING left to the imagination.  I mean, would you wear only pantyhose and a t shirt in public?  Because basically, that's what you have on.  It's borderline indecent.  I'd snap a photo but I'd probably be reported to the FBI for having porn on the internet.

I don't even like it on little 4 year old girls.  Put shorts over them.  Or pull a little dress over them.  Make sure your top is long enough to cover your bottom!

I guess you think if you got the body why not show it.  Well, show it somewhere else, sistah.  I don't want to see.

With the temperature outside slowly warming the spandex tights will be replaced with short shorts.  And the shorts I'm talking about are the Nike shorts.  Now when you are 8 or 9 or 10 these shorts are fine.  But when you are 48 and 49 and 50 these shorts look ridiculous.  Unless you are working out in the gym.  Wearing them around town?  Not so great looking.   No, I don't think you should wear Mom jeans.  But I do think you should cover up those white thighs.

While I'm on my fashion/appropriate daywear rant, let me move on to another thing that drives me crazy.  Ugg boots.  Yes, UGLY.  Don't wear them.  Ever.  And throw out the crocs.


In closing I have a few words for my co-workers.  I can't keep my trap shut any longer.
Here goes:

To W - you are a know it all, spoiled brat.  When you resigned to become a full time Mom you honestly expected to continue to receive the school benefits?  (tuition discount for your own children to attend)  Yes, you did.  Come on!  Did you expect to continue on the payroll?  Guess so

To RR - Oh my gosh, lady.  Put some clothes on!  You are 52 for goodness sakes.  And be nice.

To K - Hello!!  Do you notice anybody else?  Could you speak?  Or even look up and notice there's another living breathing human near you?  I'm not impressed.

To S - Girl.  Come on.  Have some personal boundaries.  Get a backbone.

To Sh - Why are you still here?  They don't appreciate your talent.  You could make so much more money somewhere else.  I hope the administration will wake up and give you a shot.  I think you'd be marvelous

To A - shhhhhhhh.  Inside voice.

To L - please don't tell me you graduated from college again.  Congratulations, but we ALL have been there, done that.  So move on.


Whew.  Got a lot off my chest.  Tomorrow I'll be back to keeping my mouth shut with a smile on my face.  2 more months...........


Toodles

Mom vs. the preschool teacher?

I recently read about  this parenting call and it got me to thinking about children and school and teachers and being a parent.  I'm a teacher.  I've been a teacher for 20 years.   Over the years I've taken on more and more "parenting responsibility".  I am with the children for 7 hours a day.  Seven and a half hours a day to be exact.  Mom and Dad are with the children the rest of the time.  Yet I am the one who should teach that child table manners, courtesy, kindness, generosity and the value of a good friend.  Oh, and I'm also supposed to provide opportunities for them to sort by color, shape and size, seriate by length, count using ordinal numbers, understand positional words, follow directions, listen for rhyming pairs and build a thinking map.

I'm tired by 4pm.

So Mom if you would like the responsibility of your child for a day PUHLEEZE come get him.  You have my blessing.  Missing one day of school ( and preschool at that) is not going to jeopardize his future at NASA.

When you call the school you probably will get attitude.  It's unnecessary and just plain rude.  I'm not making excuses.  I'm just want to explain that we are all overworked.  We are tired!

Let me just share a couple of crazy mother phone calls I've gotten.

I once had a mother call me at school anxious and irate because I had valentine mailboxes for every child in the class except for hers.  When I asked her what in the world gave her that idea she "explained" in a rude and loud tone  that while at WalMart the night before, her son and begged for a Batman Valentine Mailbox.  In fact, he NEEDED Batman for the class valentine party because........ you guessed it.  His teacher (me) had purchased one for everyone in the class.  Except him.  I wanted to laugh but she was so angry I felt defensive.  I had several witty comebacks in my head but instead I took a deep breath and told her "I'm so sorry, I do not allow people to yell at me,  If you would like to come by school this afternoon and see his valentine box you are more than welcome.  I will let the security guard know to expect you."

That shut her up.

Really people.  REALLY??

By the way, I don't know what came over me with that reply.  That is truly what I said.  Word for word.  When I hung up I just sat in the teacher's lounge.  The school secretary was eating her lunch and heard only my side of the conversation.  So I had a witness.  Sort of.

I once had a mother show her tail feathers because her daughter's hair bow was in her bag instead of in her hair.  The bow was not lost.  The bow was not broken.  The bow was IN HER BAG.   I wanted to tell Mom that I had not locked her daughter in a closet in the dark and left her there.   Let's put things in perspective please.  Instead I came up with an answer that I did not feel was TRUE but I knew in a second that it would put a bandaid on Mom's anger and keep it from spewing all over the front of the crosswalk.  I simply said, "She does not have the bow in her hair.  It's in her bag.  Here it is.  I feel awful about it.  Please forgive me. "

Yep, I said that.

Seemed crazy to HAVE to say that.  But I did.  Mom immediately softened and recoiled.  I won.

Sometimes I feel like I should just quit.  A run in with an angry mother can make me want to apply for a job as a WalMart greeter.   The next morning, though, I get up and trudge through my morning routine.  I walk into the class and I'm greeted with "Hey Mrs C!  Look what I made you last night"

And that makes it worth it.

A Fun Fact to Know and Tell

Sometimes I hear a little something or see another something and I think "I need to remember that.  Neato"  Yes, I still say NEAT-O sometimes.

So here are a few things I've learned.  Ejukashun is a good thing.


Today's Fun Fact:  

Worst Valentine Candy:  Russell Stovers Chocolate Assortment.  There is only sugar, vegetable oil and chocolate extract.  No real chocolate.

Best Valentine Candy:  Dove Dark Chocolate Hearts.  Real cocoa.

The article listed dark chocolate covered strawberries as the best choice.  And dark chocolate covered almonds as the second best choice.  But those aren't really "candy", you know?

Either way, matters not to me.  I do not like chocolate.  When I mention that quirk I get the strangest looks.  So I rarely mention it.


In other news:

I received my Power 90 Masters Series DVDs in the mail on Friday.  Saturday morning I worked out to Level 5/6 Cardio.  I didn't die.  I enjoyed having something new.  And I enjoyed not having all those leg lifts in a row.  My fitness goal remains the same:  Fit into a size 10 by May 17 which is the start of graduation week here at The Villa.  

So I'm working out and watching portions.

I visited the doctor on Friday morning for my blood pressure.  It's lower than it was in November but we'd like to see it even lower.  So I'm going back in 3 more months.  The doctor told me if I'd lost just 10 more pounds he'd expect to see a healthy blood pressure.  So, I'm all for that.  I was happy to NOT have medicine.

I'm still job hunting.  I have compiled my resume, necessary certificates, etc. and have them ready to distribute to area schools.  Monday is a school holiday so it will have to wait until Tuesday.

I gathered and packed away the few Valentines Day things I had around the house and started getting out springtime bunnies and Easter Baskets.  I am so ready for the sunshine.

Toodles.

Hello There, Stranger

I Got A Feeling

That today's gonna be a good day

Here Comes The Sun doo dah doo dah

Here Comes the sun.......

And it's ALRIGHT!

More of the same

Honestly, Mother Nature, this is plenty.  

I think I'll have some cake.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Sunday Morning Peace

Hello Rain.

You make my day peaceful.

Thank You.