Perhaps It's A NorthEast Thing

I was really surprised by the fact that most of you did not know about the existence of SnowMan Kits.










I am thinking that perhaps it is a location thing. Up here, in the far north, we normally get a total accumulation of 4 feet of snow throughout a winter. THAT is nothing, I know, in comparison to some states close by. And I am by no means bitching, because honestly, I LOVE the snow. I love how it looks. I love how it smells. YES it DOES have a smell. I love everything about it - besides driving in it and perhaps shoveling - but I don't do either of those things - so it matters none to me.

People, (clears throat, vows not to mention any names) have bought my kids these kits - in good spirits, thinking it was a huge help to them. It is kinda neat to have all the pieces in one little box, but I think it kills the spirit of it. When you have to hunt UNDER snow for rocks and break off tree limbs for the arms without getting poked, that MEANS something. There is ABSOLUTELY a sense of accomplishment.

Don't tell anyone - but we actually own THESE....



They are battery powered LED lights to attach to your snowman. They are equipped with a timer and are weather resistant. They were given as a gift, and have yet to be opened. I think next snow, I'll take them out - because don't ya think the kids would love to see their creation all lit up at night?

No? Just me?

We Rock It Old School

Yesterday the kids had a Snowday after a full week
of February Vacation and decided to make the most of it.

They rocked the Snowman-making Old School -
we don't need no pussy-ass Snowman Kits.

My kids used their imagination-
and found buckets and rocks and sticks - Oh My!!

And yes, my son does have a face - he is just
choosing not to show it. Either that or Mom
was too freaking cold to stand out there much longer.

Not Much To Report

Sorry about the lack of posting - I have nothing new and exciting to report.

Here's some random bullets...

1. Work is CRAZY busy. I am usually busy and since it is my own business - I can usually work in some downtime. There has been absolutely NO downtime. Crazy. I see no end in sight. The bright side is I have already made 1/3 of my entire salary from 2006 - my best year ever.

2. My Grad class is going well - I actually even like my font I am creating. I am pulling a 98.88 grade right now - I KNOW I am TOTALLY slacking from last semester's 100 - but FUCK IT!! And I only have 5 weeks to go til the end of the semester. This one went fast. Although I will totally be happy when it's over - because 5 assignments a week is the pits.

3. My two classes I am teaching are good. The day class has proven to be better than the night class - work and attitude wise. Although their first project left much to be desired - I see potential. Raw potential at the undergrad level is an amazing thing. More amazing is the power a professor wields to crush it or cultivate it. I LOVE to see them flourish with praise and encouragement and just the right amount of no bullshit discipline. I despise the professors that love to knock them down or spinelessly walk away from them. I feel privileged to be able to teach. Is that weird?

4. We gave the stomach bug to Sherry's entire family - SORRY!!!!!!

5. Sherry made Miss Thing the BEST American Girl outfit - red satin dress with black velvet ballero jacket. Awesome.

6. Both DH and my car need new brakes. Difference is his cost $1,000 (front and back brakes) and mine will be $300. THAT is the difference between driving an Infiniti and the Big Blue Minivan.

7. It is colder than HELL here right now - but we still have had very little snow. So little that the kids are potentially getting out of school on June 6th. JUNE 6th!!!! - that will be one LONG ASS summer.

8. Everyone I know is getting divorced. It's like some weird virus got into the water supply. People I have known for years - all splitsville.

9. Stephen King's new book Lisey's Story sucks ass.

10. WTF Britney Spears?????????? She shaved her fucking head!!! Say it with me - TRAIN WRECK.

Things I Learned At Miss Thing's First Sleep Over

1. The word "sleep" should NEVER be on the invitation. Period. At least for the mother.

2. 10 girls can eat A LOT of pizza. Holy shit.

3. 10 girls jumping round dancing in your living room, in a circle, BEGGING your husband to jump in - AND HE DOES and you just HAPPEN to have the camcorder ready - PRICELESS.

4. 9 year old girls, while reading Tiger Beat magazine, all still sleep with stuffed animals.

5. The most annoying mother (kid is not so bad AND there is a whole post for another day about this one) actually STAYED for 2 1/2 hours because her kid asked her to. Which I think is complete and utter bullshit since the kid never even came to look at her after she kicked off her shoes and ran where the other girls were. So, I had to entertain her instead of smoking crack like I had planned. RUIN-ER!

6. That Miss Thing SHOULD have gotten an Oscar for her award-winning performance while opening gifts. One of her dear friends had bought her the cutest American Girl outfit (brand new Valentine's Day outfit) HOWEVER Miss Thing had used her Christmas money to order the exact same outfit and HER DOLL WAS WEARING IT. From the act, I would have never thought she had it - OR the kid knew either way. Apparently, the kid did since the mother called last night.

7. NYLON SLEEPING BAGS - who the fuck thought THIS was a good idea???? Nylon + 10 girls tossing and turning = No Fucking Sleep For Sharpie AT ALL.

8. A couch is not for sleeping. Or at least MY couch.

9. When you ask your daughter if she wants to listen to her Lullaby tape, the one thing that SHE HAS TO HAVE TO GO TO SLEEP and she gives you the most horrified look and you recover quickly - CUZ HOLY FUCK HOW COULD YOU HAVE SAID THAT and say its YOUR tape YOU need to sleep and all the girls look at you wide eyed and you eyeball them back and they go to sleep. *wipes forehead - close call*

10. When it says the pick-up time is 10 am - and you come at quarter after and say you picked her up late because you dropped her off late - I have the right to kick your ass in from of your kid.

I Got A Sign For You

If We Were Playing Clue

The game would have ended with Sherry jumping up and down and screaming "In Yo Face!" (or something like that) and proceeding to solve the mystery.

It was Susan (aka. Love Her, But She May Need Help Since She Comes Here To Often and I Have Nothing To Say) with the Misaligned Router in Northford. Sheesh.

Tuns out, the whole ordeal is unbelievably, a coincidence. A big, scary, I may shit-my-pants ordeal. I will make an even more conscience effort to not speak of anyone I know FOR REAL.

*wipes head with towel - thankful that is over*

And. Thank you all for you support and kind words. They were very powerful and meaningful. I physically exhaled reading Blue's comment that no one should hold that much power over me (seconded by others). Wow. I never thought of it that way. You ladies, and gentlemen, are very wise. Things that happen carry over, don't they? Into your life? Into your head?

An amazing thing happens when you teach. When you first start out you are going to set the world on fire. For me, teaching what I know and do best to a bunch of college kids was a dream job. I was going to change them.

Funny thing is, after 3 years, they have changed me. And for the better. I am more empathetic (and God knows I needed a big spoonful of that, right Sherry?), and flexible. They have taught me that everyone learns differently. They have taught me that everyone needs validation everyday.

I have learned as much from them as they have from me.

I feel the same way about all of you.

*smiles*

Ok, that's enough with all of the love crap - bring on the Sleep Over - countdown T-minus 3 days. I am SURE I will have something to write about then.