Elementary School Graduate

Here's our "final days in 5th grade, going to the Middle School" girl before her 5th grade dance. She rarely wears a dress these days so I was thrilled when she said she wanted to find one to match the luau theme. We found it quite easily at JCPenney and she said it was so comfy. So off to the dance she went (a few pictures I snapped while she was greeting friends) in her adorable outfit. When I went back 3 hours later, I was having a hard time finding her...the lights were dimmed, there were kids everywhere, etc. So I saw the back of this one girl and said to myself that looks like Katie's build, but she has shorts on, that's not her. Then I kept looking and panic was starting to settle in, when that girl turned around and sure enough, my beautiful little angel with the nice dress had it wadded up behind her tied with a hair tie, and she had shorts on under the dress the whole time. When I finally got her attention that it was time to go home, I asked her what the deal was. She said, "Well it was time to do the limbo and I couldn't spread far enough with my dress down, so I pulled it up and tied it." Simple as that Mom, why would I ever think that would happen?!

UPDATE ON NEW YEAR'S GOALS

Well, it's taken me about 6 months to get ramping up but:

1. I am still backing up all of my photos on the computer! YAY Me!

2. Getting rid of some stuff... I have a beautiful scrapbook room but it's so cluttered I don't even enjoy working in here. I've started to clean off some shelves, took a bunch of rubber stamp sets off the shelves and will be selling them (no money on E-Bay anymore, will try locally), and I have two totes full of goodies I won't use anymore. Hoping to get a garage sale next year to make a little money on the stuff. I still have more to clean, but it's getting better. Unfortunately, Katie hasn't been very interested lately and giving her some of my stuff just keeps the clutter here, so better to box it and go!

3. Taking care of myself. I'm getting to bed no later than 10:45 on school nights - feeling better too. I've started a better eating routine, and have lost 17 lbs in 5 weeks. My clothes are just starting to feel baggy, but of course they were tight before I started so go figure! The exercise piece - ugh, not so much. I hate it, I hate thinking I have to do it, and I hate the people who enjoy doing it (well, that's a little strong, huh? OK, not really) So, I haven't started that yet - but soon, I'm working myself up to it.

On my way for 2010, I need to turn this year around for the good!

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

Well, I've never really been proud of my photo taking abilities, and this one ranks right up there! Katie was in the Colorguard for the Elementary School Band for the Memorial Day parade so I remembered to bring my camera to the event (step 1 - check!). Next, I should have asked her what side of the street she would be on, because she was on the opposite side from me. (step 2 - fail) With everyone dressed the same and flags a flyin', I couldn't find her until last minute. I think she purposely liked watching me look frantically, she was giggling at me as she walked by. So with the camera delay and my lack of skill, this is all I have to record the day. Other than Katie's giggles ringing in my ears!! :) She's the one on the far left in the picture.

I'M BACK TO BLOGGING

Phew, the curveballs that life can throw you! Many of you know the hurdles my fam has faced in the last 3 months, 15 days and 18 hours...but I think I'm moving past it, or as far past as I can get to having a new normal life. It's taken me a while to get back to blogging after what happened with my Mom, I wasn't moving past the trauma or the fact that her life, my life, my family's life, will never be the same. BUT, I think I'm almost there and maybe this will push me the little bit farther towards acceptance.

But normal is the relative word -

- Family is all healthy, as healthy as we can believe

- We're all still working and keeping up with the economy

- Summer is upon us in a few short days

- Katie is playing softball in Honeoye for the season, she's really enjoying it. Not much practice and lots of games. Right up her alley

- School is winding down, with 6 field trips in the monthe of June, and only 16 days of classes, why bother calling it school?

- Our annual camping weekend for Memorial Day is days away (although we won't have a toilet, it's under repair, ugh!)

- I'm taking Mom to therapy every Thursday so I'm taking short work weeks

So, as you can see by this picture, even Millie is tired at the end of the day, but we're all together, safe and happy!

SOME CHILI FUN AT WORK!

Mid winter and TWC's rate increase season can get to the very best of employees, so as a leader, what am I to do for them? I decided to hold 6 weeks of fun times! We kicked off this week with the Bowl of Super Chili Cookoff (can't say Super Bowl due to trademark), where each Supervisory team could enter 3 varieties of chili. Each Customer Care employee was able to select 5 samples and rated those from 1-5 in quality. A special score was provided to any that were deemed super spicy for a special prize.

It was a huge hit! The managers hosted and organized so the employees and Supervisors were able to come in for the fun. Winners are announced tomorrow (well, today since I'm up way to late) and the winning teams get to buy their team members lunch next week.

What's on the Fun Board for next week?! Bring your Pet's Picture to Work Week! I thought, what makes my employees happy at home? Well, if you have a pet, it's likely you really enjoy it, or it's a special member of your family, so why not bring a piece of your homelife joy into work?! We're putting the pet pictures on one side of my giant white board and the employee's name on the other side and we'll have a matching contest to see who can place the most correct pet with the employee matches. Dorky? Yeah, maybe, but you should hear the buzz that was going on today when I sent out the announcement!! I'll post it tomorrow, I impressed myself with my new PrintShop software at work!

Off to bed to get some more creative ideas in my noggin. Z Z Z z z z z . . . . .

...ONE WEEK'S TIME

What a difference one week makes! Last Saturday we had fun in the sun with an over 40 degree day. And this week when Brian was called in this morning to salt the roads at 4am, it was -6 degrees - brrrr! And next Saturday we'll be spending at the hospital with Mom and Dad as she is recovering from her aortic valve surgery. I'm pretty sure I won't make it to the Crop Day at the elementary school, but I hope to pop in and see Mary, Lynn and whomever else is going.

I hope everyone is staying toasty warm and healthy today. I've heard this very cold weather is actually good for viruses, it helps keep people indoors and away from each other which slows the spread!

XOXO

FUN WEEKEND!

We had a nice weekend, other than Brian's back still hurting and him stir crazy that he's not able to do everything he wants to. (He has an appt with Back Dr. on 2/2)

1. Woke up Saturday morning and Brian suggested we go out to breakfast. We used to do this all the time on Saturdays before Katie, and while she was an infant.

2. We went separate ways - me to Wegmans for groceries and Katie & Brian to Walmart for some small odds and ends.

3. Because we got up and out early, I was home from Wegs by 11 (usually after noon sometime) and we had the whole wonderful afternoon in the sunshine.

4. Katie rode her brand new bike from Christmas for about 30 mins. We sat on the front steps in just light sweatshirts and let the sun bake in on our bodies.

5. Made homemade pizza for dinner with help from Chef Katie, with all of the toppings placed ever so delicately...it took about 15 mins longer than normal to get baking :)

6. Sunday we had Church, and helped with the Hope for Haiti collection.

7. Katie and I ran some errands at Eastview - BJs and BonTon - While returning a dress she didn't wear at the Holiday Pageant, we saw some bras in the 7-16 department. She's been complaining that her light tshirt bras might not be concealing enough, so we tried on some new ones. How crazy is this...she's 10 and wearing nicer bras than me.

8. Nice cozy dinner of baked chicken, mashed taters and biscuits

Doesn't get any better than this. We have so much to be thankful for, it was an extra long grace before dinner tonight!