Thirteen Reasons I’m So Glad School Is Over!

1. Everyone can sleep in, and no more waking kids up every morning.
2. Bedtime can be a bit more flexible.
3. More time to do things in the late afternoon, with more daylight hours.
4. No more homework to get done.
5. No more ridiculous school projects that seem more for the parents to do than the students.
6. No more wondering if the bus has already come into the neighborhood.
7. No more concerts, assemblies, ceremonies, activities and meetings that parents are “required” to attend.
8. No more caring how fast the laundry gets done because so and so wants to wear their favorite outfit again today.
9. Camping trips, fishing trips, cave exploring, boat rides and unlimited fun - with no time constraints.
10. No more conversations every single day that start with, “This girl in my class named Maya…”.
11. No more hearing about how crappy and mean the other kids at school are, and having to worry about my kids being around them everyday!
12. No more daily snacks, special lunches and rushing out to get juice bottles at 11:00pm the day before a field trip.
13. Now, all field trips include ALL FIVE KIDS and BOTH ADULTS!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. nicole              2. mitchypoo
3. carol               4. mark
5. frigga              6. Penny
7. Thomma Lynn  8. Beth
9. Kuanyin          10.
(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Okay, so still no news on the stupid dream job, that suddenly hasn’t seemed so dreamlike. In fact, I’m annoyed by the entire process and quite frankly, seriously don’t even care anymore. I don’t even check that email account daily anymore, because it was like waiting for a kettle to boil.

So, in the meantime, I took several of the pieces I wrote for them, since they are still mine. And I am beginning a new website that involves my entire community.

I spent the day contacting local historical landmarks, several local business’ and attractions, to get support. And you would not believe the out pouring of support I received. Many citizens were irritated because we did not have anything like  this before.

To get an idea of what I am getting ready to start, point your browser to Explore St. Louis. That page (which is NOT mine) is primarily targeted at “travelers”, but my page will not be about St. Louis at all, it will be about my area. I had two local business’ offer me advertising already - which I have to iron out the details on. This is one of those things you almost have to call a “brain child”. Yes, I will sell advertising and use google adsense and all that stuff, but primarily I want to do this project because our area, as large as it is, has NOTHING like that webpage at all. We have government pages. That’s it. So welcome to 2007, where we will. My hopes of course would be to build up the site, and the usership (I know - not really a word), be number one in the search engines when typing my city name in, and eventually having someone want to buy the site. LOL Will that happen? Probably not. But at least I will keep myself and my family entertained being the first to know about all the local events, fairs, concerts, giveaways, and other local tidbits.

I seriously am crazy. But I feel like it will not only curb my need to write, since there is TONS that has to be written, but it will also enable me to get more involved in the community and find other freelance projects. Aha! So there is an ulterior motive. *grin* sorta!

Wish me luck, if you even care.

Today we spent the day out at the lake where we are moving. It was a cloudy rainy day, however the kids got at least three hours in the lake, before it actually began raining hard. It was loads of fun and even when it began raining, my son wasn’t about to come in. He couldn’t figure out why everyone swims in the water, and gets wet. But then when it begins raining, out they come and they seek shelter. Ah, the logic of an innocent one. LOL

Truth be told, it was just rain - no lightening or thunder, so I let him be. He was busy trying to find the baby lake turtles that he loves to find.

Eventually we decided to take all five of them fishing too. So we loaded up all the gear and their new poles and off we went to find a spot to fish. Thankfully we have a friend who already lives out there, so he knows where all the good spots are. We drove to the first good spot. We spent almost 2 hours there and caught NOTHING - plus the kids kept getting their lines snagged on everything.

So we moved to another “good spot” and we did much better. In fact, we did so much better that we caught two fishing lines and a rusted lure. Yeah. So four hours of fishing and we caught nothing. And it’s not like its because we don’t know what we are doing. No, not that at all. Mike and our friend are tournament fishermen. They go out all the time and do awesome. So it was frustrating to say the least.

The best part? We brought everyone home, and the kids and I crashed. Mike went back and they went out on his friends boat. They caught like 25 fish together over the course of the night. And many were HUGE!

Ah well, there’s always tomorrow. We’re going back.

If I forget to say it, Happy Memorial Day everyone. Be safe and have fun! Oh, and tell me what you did!

I liked this theme a lot. In fact, the kids all helped this time. We decided that these were the most colorful pictures (part of a series of colorful pictures) that we have. Unfortunately, Bandit is no longer with us, so the pictures are particularly special to us.

Appetizer
Name a sound you like to hear.
Oddly, thunderstorms. (also my children laughing!)

Soup
What is your favorite kind of cheese?
Brie. My daughter always jokes around because that is her nickname. Her given name is Brielle. And I’m not a huge fan of Rye Bread. But that’s my son’s nickname. So they joke around all the time saying I am going to eat Brie on Rye. Nutty kids! Oh, you only wanted to know what my favorite kind of cheese was. Sorry for the stupid story. LOL

Salad
Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not?
Unfortunately not. My mornings begin at 5:45am no matter which day of the week it is (sometimes earlier). It’s been that way for years. I don’t even use an alarm clock for ANYTHING, ever. I haven’t set an alarm clock in years. My body just wakes up. It’s crazy. I will however, sometimes try to go back to sleep after about an hour or so.

Main Course
When was the last time you forgot something? What was it, and how long did it take to remember it?
I forget crap daily. Sadly, apparently I have forgotten the last time I forgot something, or at least cannot think of something specific. And I have no idea how long it will take to remember it, but if I ever do, I’ll let you know.

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I notice ____________ when _____________.
I notice I get very little done when I am stressing about something. Yes, still stressing about the job and have assumed by now that I have not gotten it, since it has been a week since I heard ANYTHING. I did email her again, Wednesday afternoon, but as of this moment, nothing. I’m okay with it, it just sucks because I have all this material that I could go ahead and sell elsewhere (and yes I have a site interested already that pays really well!) but I cannot sell it if I wind up getting the job, because it will go live in a week from that date. *sigh* I’ve gotten very little actual work done this week, though the kids and I have been busy doing research for upcoming projects. (not theirs … mine - they like to help!)

Leave me a link to yours in the comments field. I’ll definitely check them out!

Late again! Geez! You’d think I’d get it right eventually!

Thirteen Blogs I Recently Discovered (in no particular order!)
(and would give blog awards to if I could)

1. Skittle’s Place
2. Blog That Mommy
3. The Wooden Porch
4. Family Corner
5. My Life as Annie
6. 1 Million Love Messages
7. 2nd grade Teacher
8. Sting My Heart
9. Stop the World, I Want to Get Off
 I’ve been there before, but I had lost the link. So glad I found her again!
10. Why Are You Stalking Me?
11. The Voices in My Head
12. Miss Prissy (thanks Erin I loved hers!)
13. Squirrel’s Nuthouse
(okay so I did not JUST discover her, but i did just discover how much I love reading her!)

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. nicole              2. mitchypoo
3. carol               4. mark
5. frigga              6. Penny
7. Thomma Lynn  8. Beth
9. Kuanyin          10.
(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

We survived the award ceremony (see previous post). And now I feel like an even bigger crappy parent, since the one award she won was the most “prestigious” academic award you can win in 6th grade. In fact, it’s the most prestigious award you can win in any grade in middle school, with the absolute exception of the three students in 8th grade who won an award for having straight A’s three years in a row. Wow!

The award that V won was called the Lycugus award. Apparently it is awarded to students with outstanding and consistant academics. She had abosolutely no idea she was getting it. In fact, the whole ceremony was trivial to her at first. She told her dad and I about it on Monday. Tonight is Wednesday. Mike works nights, so it was impossible for him to get off for it, with that little notice. So he missed it. Trust me - he’s really upset about it. And I feel even worse because I didn’t want to go earlier. Now I’m glad I went.

I did take pictures. They did not turn out. It is hard as hell to get a decent photograph in a gymnasium. In fact, it’s the second time in two weeks I’ve tried in that same gym. Last time - band concert. Our two oldest play the clarinet. Anyway, I got nothing good of them during the actual concert and we were in the front row - and so were they! I only got good ones before the concert with them holding their instruments. At least I have that. But tonight, when I really needed the photographs (since Mike wasn’t there), I couldn’t get them to turn out no matter what setting on my camera I tried, and it certainly didn’t matter if I used my flash or not, because either way they sucked. Digital is great, except apparently in that gym.

Next time I bringing my awesome film camera. It’s got a 300mm zoom, and Mike has a 400mm zoom that we thing might fit it. So that’s even better.

Well, I’m off to crash and read a book for a bit. (okay - so not in that order)

Love and Stuff.

Okay, I admit it. I am probably a bad mom. Well, really I’m not, but I feel like it at the moment.

My oldest daughter is getting honored at the middle school tonight. I have no idea what award she is receiving but her grades have been almost A’s the whole year and she did really well on the presidential achievment test (according to her). So knowing nothing about what she is actually getting an award for, is making me really wish we didn’t have to go.

And then, it starts at 6:00pm. Yeah, that’s in a half hour. But when she asked her teacher today what time it would be over, I guess she said “No later than 8:00pm”. What?! Are you serious? I have to sit in a freakin’ gymnasium for TWO hours with five kids awaiting an award or two? I swear if she gets called first, we’re gonna sneak out. We’re sitting WAY in the back. LOL

I really have no idea why I feel like this either. Typically I am excited when the kids win awards or get honored for something. But tonight, I just don’t feel like it. She’s a great kid though, and she deserves this, so of course, I’ll take off my bad mom hat, and put on my perfect smile, and happy, “I’m a perfect parent” look, and go sit amongst all the parents I despise who are sitting there with their “I’m a member of the PTA hats” and “My husband is an attorney skirts”, and smile. Proudly. Because even if my husband is not an attorney, and I am not on the PTA (hey - I was when my son was in Kindergarten!), and I don’t live in a house as big as some of them do, and I don’t drive the best SVU available to mankind, I’m just as proud of my honor student as the rest of the suckers who put the sticker on their damn cars. (Ok, seriously folks - if I actually had a sticker, goodness knows, I’d put it on my van - just for the kids - cause I love them).

Ah…time to go round up five kids and make sure they all look presentable. I don’t have time to spell check, so if I made an error - too bad - I’m not the one getting the award. LOL

I know some of you have personally emailed me and left me comments to find out what is going on with the dream job, so I thought I’d give you an update.

Unfortunately it’s not much of one. They say no news is good news, but at this point, I might have to disagree. Here’s why:

1.) The company is extremely difficult to get a job with. I know, because I have friends who have tried to no avail.
2.) Several things went wrong during the course of my training. Some at my end, some at their end.
3.) There are several other factors that were a problem during training, that I had no control over, and I will go into further detail once I hear something.

Final review was yesterday. I am not sure that it went well. I was completely without one piece of material they wanted, because of a hard drive crash, but got everything else done.

Starter Review was excellent. I completed the first task with no changes needed. Yay!

First review was good. There were a few changes that needed to be made, like I put four articles in the wrong spot, but it was all about learning the system. Not a catastrophe, just needed to be checked. Everything else looked good the trainer   said. On my way to a great start. So Yay!

Second review was not as good as the first two. Reason? My hard drive crashed the day before the review, and by the time I reformatted, and installed everything - it was 10:00am the day of the review, and everything had to be in by 11:00am- uhm yeah. I emailed her to let her know. Told her I did not want an extension, that I would do my best to work with what I had. She appreciated it, gave me a good review - a few minor changes. And I had said I was going to do something, which she asked that I do. Second review came in a day later than expected, leaving me two days to do everything needed to complete the final review.

Final review - yesterday. I have no idea how that went, because I still haven’t heard anything except an email from her stating that she was glad I enjoyed the experience (I did), she was happy I had let her know what circumstances had occured (I had), and that she would be doing the review just as soon as she could (she hasn’t yet). Or at least I don’t know about it yet. *sigh*

Waiting to hear “you suck” really sucks. LOL

I know I don’t actually suck. I know my writing is good. I also know that although it took a little to figure out how the whole publishing system works with them, I did and I understand it pretty well now. I also know that I have about 18 pieces that are actually ready to go up as soon as I hear if I was successful or not. And if not, I have about 43 pieces to sell to someone else. LOL

I’m at a strange point. I really, really still want the job. But if I don’t get it, at this point, I am going to know it was just not meant to be. There sure were a lot of obstacles thrown in my way. I don’t know if they were tests of my faith, or just God’s way of reminding me that sometimes His greatest gifts are the unanswered prayers. Regardless, I have been praying all morning. But it’s just not looking good at this point. She is on the east coast and it’s 11:21am there. The final review was supposed to be yesterday right around this time. *sigh*

Ah well, if I don’t get it, I have stuff to sell or use elsewhere. I guess that’s good. And I discovered something about myself. I really enjoy this type of writing. In fact, I actually enjoyed it better that my regular writing. Interesting.

Not the most bible thumping gal I know, for some reason - I actually found comfort in the following. The bible is a great book.

My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. - Exodus 33:14

The Lord is a refuge for the opressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. - Psalm 9:9-10

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. - Deuteronomy 33:27

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. - Deuteronomy 31:8

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  - Psalm 16:8