Tyler's Opening Day

Tyler Open his show Oliver! today. I must say I was surprised with how well he did. If you know my child very well, you know that he can be somewhat emotional (putting it lightly) at the drop of the hat. I did not know what to expect... stage fright, embarrassment, or just pure joy. As you can tell from the picture, he did not miss a beat. I am sure the "glitches" will work out by Sunday, but it was a very moving day. I was in tears every time he came out. I will try and post more pictures as the weekend goes on.

Is it dishonest if...

So as I was in a local GameStop today I was forced to look deep inside and ask "Am I a dishonest person?" I think I have reasoned my way out of this one...you be the judge.

I decided that since my husband has been gone for five days that it is about time I start selling some of his stuff. HA! That sounded a lot worse than it was!! Really I took all of the X-Box games that he no longer can play, because he does not even have a functioning X-Box, to GameStop to hopefully sell them back. In my mind I figured I would get about $50 for the 12 games that I was selling back. Knowing that this is about $300 worth of games, I thought $50 was a fair trade for things attracting dust in my CD case. Well, wasn't I surprised when I met the "Associate of the Month" for what I am sure is not the first time. He agrees that he can buy back these games and proceeds to type the titles in the computer. About 3 games down my stack he pulls two out and gives them to me. I look puzzled, and he says I can not take duplicate games and they can not be in a sealed package. ENTER DISHONESTY!
HUH? I reply, to which he informs me that their policy is that they can not buy back games when more than one of the same game is brought in. Ok, so I take one away and say here now there is only one! (always trying to buck the system) He says No mam' I can not take them in the sealed package. Just a side bar, this game is Simpson's Road Rage, we have two one is still in the package. I am thinking this is a better deal because you know it is not scratched, better resale. OH NO! Not in the gaming industry!
Ok back to the Associate of the Month... Again I am looking puzzled and he repeats I can not take a game that is in the original packaging. In my mind I am so confused because clothes with the original tags go for even more at a resale shop. Very confused I take the other opened Road Rage and switch it out, I say ok then take this one. SAME GAME! Now he starts to get upset and says, "Our policy is not to take either game when two are brought in." Right now imagine my most confused face ever and I am sure I made some noise that went right along with my expression. I am now feeling like I am in a Seinfeld episode and Kramer is about to bust in! I finally grasp the situation and say, "Ok, so I will walk out and come back in with one Road Rage game and sell it to you." I am not taking this game back home! "Oh-that will be against policy I will still know it is you and that you have two!" he replies.
"What!?!?"
He then says "I will not break policy for you or anyone!"
OH-SLAP! I decided to shut up at that point and take my $8.40, yes that is correct 10 games resale for $8.40, and I went to lunch.
The whole time I drove I thought...Am I a terrible person for expecting people to break the rules for me. I guess I admire him for sticking to his guns, but PLLLEEEASE. so my question for all my readers is... what would you expect? Are you sitting there saying OMG just take the stupid game? Or are you saying Jennifer, rules are rules why would you think he would break them for you? Do we expect people to bend/break the rules to suit our needs? Am I that self-centered that I think those rules would not apply to me?
Please reply!
Good Night Good Friends!

Actor in the Making

Today Tyler had play practice all day and I learned what the tight knot in the pit of a mother's stomach feels like. You see up until now I have been the greatest thing to him. Eating lunch with me was never uncool, he still waves at me in front of his friends and is never afraid to give me a hug in the middle of a big crowd. Well, I think those days are coming to an end. My boy is growing up! Today he informed Travis and me that he did not want to eat lunch with us but would rather go across the street with his "thespian" friends. Yes, thespians-theatre folks- not the other... (dirty minds). I fought it at first, and then realized that he was not trying to be rude or disrespectful, just growing up. So with tears in our eyes Travis and I took our lunch and went home. I called mom to ask how to handle this man size knot that I knew would not go away until he was about 30. Fortunately she had the best answer of all- PRAYERS. I see now why my mother has bad knees, she must have spent half my life on her knees. (wink) I will go on teaching him right from wrong, but I can not be beside him at every decision I must pray that he makes the right choices, and when he doesn't pray that he learns from it. WOW! Changing diapers and sleepless nights seem easy when looking at the future!

Happy Father's Day

D- Dad did everything he could to make my life as great as possible!

A- Always made me laugh

D- Dad taught me to set goals and work hard to reach them.

D- Dad also taught me to PLAY harder than I worked.

Y- You are the reason why we celebrate today, I love you Dad!

Thanks for being sucha great Dad and Gungle to us!

A Day Alone!

Why is it that when we moms are at our breaking point all we ever want is a day alone, then we get it and we are lost. Today the boys went to South Garland MDO and I was alone. Not for lack of trying, called some old friends to try and set up lunch and it just did not work out. At the time I was stressed and thought... you know a day to myself will be nice. All I found out about a "day to myself" is that it is expensive. Shopping is boring by yourself, I think I would even choose to have Travis with me rather than be alone. He is a pretty good shopping buddy! Something I did experience while trying on bathing suits at Kohl's is worth blogging about though...As I walked alone through the store I hear the shouts of a mother calling for "Joseph..Joseph.." Having that motherly instinct I quickly turn to look hoping that this child is not truly lost. Oh-no he is about 18 months old in a sagging wet diaper that hangs out one leg of his shorts and is running loose through the store. He quietly says "Wha..What" Every time his mother calls him. Now let me paint this picture for you... she is not actually searching for him as she calls she is merely telling him where she is, she is still shopping. I quickly retreat to another department hoping to avoid the family all together, remember I am ALONE today. Much to my surprise, not, I can hear them all over the store. As I enter the fitting room I hear yet again Joseph, and see his little head pop out from under a dressing room door. GREAT! I have three bathing suits in hand and the fear of a little head coming under my door all of a sudden makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The calling continues and it is now a game that needs SUPER NANNY! He then starts slamming the fitting room doors and giggling, Mom is trying on clothes and I am sure is about as dressed as I am when SLAM, and my door pops open, yes, OPEN. You see at this store you do not have the integrity of a lock only the assumption that the person will look for feet before walking right in on you. OH Crap! Bathing suit top in one hand and door handle in the other I close it in record time. No I say "EXCUSE ME!" and the mom screams another name and some expletives in Spanish. Yes I do still remember those! "JOSEPH!" in a man's voice this time, well there is dad! I know the mother is horrified and proceeds to tell the man that he is useless. I get he impression this is not his only flaw! That was the last I heard of Joseph, but I am sure he will be around again. As for me I bought the suit! BIG SURPRISE! I am thinking of finding a door closing competition, I think I broke some world record today!!

9 Years of Wedded Bliss

Back to reality! Bill and I have returned from our 24 hour getaway to Fort Worth to celebrate our anniversary. WOW! Dallas might have the commerce, but FW wins for the best downtown. We really felt like we were back in NYC. We stayed at a beautiful hotel, gov rate of course (lil teacher secret), that was right in the middle of Sundance Square. I would highly recommend going there to just get away and not spend a lot of money. We started our day with a nice lunch and then a quiet nap without children to worry about. About 5:00 we got ready and walked down to the AMC and saw Knocked Up! It was one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time. So much truth in what it is like to be a mom. Unfortunately I found myself relating not to the young cute actress who is pregnant, but to the older sister who is ~happily ~married and a mom. The sister realizes she is no spring chicken when she is not allowed into a club but forced to wait in line. (oh- the shame) This is my life! No longer in my 20's or newly married. Now I must act mature in all areas! "whatever" Anyway back to the "getaway" we finished the evening with UNO Pizza and a trip to FourDAY Weekend. The comedy club decided that I looked like a great target to start their jokes with. Oh- yes the 2nd grade teacher from "COX" was a big hit! As Bill and I got on the elevator to leave our Hotel another couple got on. The couple was in their early 70's and very happy. She carried balloons that said Happy Anniversary, so of course being the nosey rosey that I am I had to ask How many years? She told me 51 and I quickly saw my future. Still happy after all these years!
My closing thought to myself is to remember the good times, the old times, and the sweet little couple that still loves each other after 51 years.

My First Post

I will run the race with endurance...this has been the theme verse of our VBS all week long! WOW have I lived that part of the week. This week I realized why I work! It is not so that I can earn a paycheck and be a strong woman that contributes her share to the house, nor is it so that my family can enjoy the luxuries of life. NO! It is so that I do not have to work with preschoolers all day! I am exhausted! I love children and I enjoy spending time with them, but I also enjoy peace and quiet. Today however, I am sitting at the computer starting my own BLOG because I have my life back and it is SUMMER! The time that makes all of the crap we as teachers put up with worth it! Tomorrow I will begin the full time job of loving on my kids, being there for my husband, and taking care of myself. I love being a working mom, I love it because I can appreciate these days so much. I almost take on a second personality in the summer. Tonight I close with saying that I am not running the same as I was yesterday...today I will jog and focus on the little blessings around me!