Up all night

We went out to dinner this evening and when we got back we put Jamie down to sleep and I followed immediately after! In bed lights out and asleep at nine pm! So now I am wide awake at four am, and have been since two am.

I will pay the price tomorrow at work. Only this week and next and then I have the holidays to myself and my family. Funny thing is the holiday events we have planned around her school and dance classes all occur this week and next. Good thing I have a job where I can slip away now and then...Too bad I lost our smaller instant camera, it had a video function and I would really like to tape Jamies' performances in her two dance 'recitals' this week.

ONe is a true performance, the Saturday class she takes is doing a real routine, so cute. The littles (only 3 of them, all 3 yrs old) dancing to 'Rockin around the Christmas Tree' It needs work but it shoudl be cute. The other class that she does at school (which is more of a ballet focused class) is just inviting us parents in to see the progress the girls have made.

Am I crazy? I looked into a third class, this one offers a ballet/tap combo. I just really think Jamie would love tap. I think tap looks like a blast, wish I could join her!

Facebook ate my Post!

Ok I have to admit, since getting embroiled in Facebook and all of my new farms, cafe, fish tanks and wars I am running daily I just don't get to my blog as much anymore.

I am a huge gamer and have a bit of an addictive personality. Combine that with Facebook - not only a social networking site, but land of the games and it doesnt leave much time at night for other activities. It's also cutting into my all time favorite online game - a version of Settlers of Catan.

So I just need to go to FBanonymous or something...

On a more positive note, despite feeling a bit blue lately I feel a bit better this week for some reason. Maybe it's knowing I have TWO WHOLE Weeks off work!? or knowing that this Christmas is going to be amazing with Jamie...

Work seems to have maybe eased up a bit stress wise, this is always a slow time and I think my new boss is maybe getting more relaxed.

And I am at 10 lbs lost since September. It feels so good but I do need to keep on. I don't want to be this big anymore, I want to have the energy to go and do with my girl.

The ABC's of Me!

I love a good meme once in a while...please post yours as well or link to yours in the comments.

A – ADVOCATE FOR: Health care for all Americans. It's just the right thing to do.
B – BEST FEATURE: My mind...although sometimes I feel like I'm wasting it on Farmville!
C – COULD DO WITHOUT: My thick waist (or lack of a waistline) stress, so much debt
D – DREAMS & DESIRES: Getting out of debt. Having the money to fix up our house or move back to the beach or both.
E – ESSENTIAL ITEMS: My family, laptop, internet.
F – FAVORITE PAST TIME: The internet, blogging, and facebook and games. I also love TV. Infact I like all three at the same time...every damn night!
G – GOOD AT: I’m a good cook, and a heck of an eater too...guess they go hand in hand, I also am a fast reader, pretty good swimmer,
H – HAVE NEVER TRIED: To jump from an airplane or hangglide
I – IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS: Pay off debt, buy a house, buy my mom a house, go on a nice vacation - every couple months

J – JUNKIE FOR: DQ Blizzards
K – KINDRED SPIRIT: My husband

L – LITTLE KNOWN FACT: My age

M – MEMORABLE MOMENT: Getting Married; getting Jamie
N – NEVER AGAIN WILL I: Try to ski

O – OCCASIONAL INDULGENCE: LOVE LOVE splurging on a great restaurant.
P – PROFESSION: Mom, wife, sales rep
Q – QUOTE: "Life is good”
R – REASON TO SMILE: Jamie

S – SORRY ABOUT: getting fat
T -THINGS THAT ARE WORRYING YOU RIGHT NOW: My job - its so stressful I’m also worried about money and debt, but that isn’t exactly new.
U – UNINTERESTED IN: Sports.
V – VERY SCARED OF: Getting in too deep debt/losing house job etc...

W – WORST HABITS: Being a crappy housekeeper
X – X MARKS MY IDEAL VACATION SPOT: THE UK.
Y – YUMMIEST DESSERT: Pecan Cluster Blizzard wtih no CaRAMEL
Z – ZODIAC SIGN: Libra, supposed to be evenly balanced. Not so sure about that sometimes...
WHAT ARE THE ABC’S OF YOU?

Church Pals

Jamie and Emmie at a ball game

Megan, Jamie and Macayla

Jamie and part of her 'posse' at the back of the church before the words to the kids. Olivia, Megan, Jamie, Macayla, (their dad Dave in back) and Melony

Luis and his family at the church beach expedition

We started going to church again this past June as per Jamie's repeated requests. Now we are really enjoying getting to know a church family. Jamie has a 'posse' 6 -10 kids between 3-5 that rip and roar up and around the grounds during the coffee fellowship after the service.

We have gotten to know Emmie and her mom as we do alot of play dates away from the church, but have also joined church folks on a trip to the beach.

This is one of the things I think we add fond memories and a sense of connection to my girls childhood.

As we have only my mom here in the area in the way of relatives we really need to build this sort of network up. We arent great at it. Mike and I have found ourselves to have become huge homebodies, which surprises us as we were both big nightowls and party animals in our younger years.

Life is good.

Feel like traveling again (or do I just need a break?)

Tonight we looked through our new issue of Disney's Family Fun magazine and there was 6 page brochure inserted into the middle of the magazine about Disney Cruise Lines. They have a Huge water slide that goes up 4 levels and you go down a see through tube that twists and turns you right off the side of the ship!

This sounded so impossible I had to go get this photo to show you! Anyway...from looking at that magazine as a family to opening my email a half hour later to find Disney offers and an offer from our favorite $80/night Orlando 2 br condo got me thinking...Wouldn't it be fun to spend Christmas at Disney?

Mentioning it to Mike he was all for it, then he said..."we really need to get to N Carolina so Jamie can see her grandma."

I'm ashamed to say I said "Ok you are right, forget about the fun, let's go there"

I yelled at my boss today too.

Hasn't been my best day.

Fun with balls, dinosaurs and corn

I know I need to download photos and learn the new program I just installed on one of the laptops Pazilla? or something like that.

In the meantime here are some fun photos: Jamie at the Dinosaur exhibit recently at our local Childrens Science Museum. Did you know there is a National coalition of Science Museums? If you buy the annual membership it entitles you to get in free at most of the others and at a reduced rate for the special events.

We ended up buying ours while on Vacation in Michigan, so we paid $80 to get our family into the one in Ann Arbor, then got in free in Detroit, and Durham NC as well. Then we returned home and we get in free here until next June. Pretty good deal, the only thing I would change is to buy the annual pass in my home town next time to support the local guys.

Other photos above include Jamie at ball play at her 'dance' class (really called Rythmic Movement) and Jamie's BFF Emmie at Amaizing Acres with us. It was right after we took the family shots and we didn't want her feeling left out. She is such a cutie!

End of summer photos

So since I can't post the recent photos I thought I would go through and find some that were cute and somewhat recent. My mom's birthday was recent and Jamie 'helped' me to make the cake, and got to lick beaters for the first time. As you can see she is a natural.

I did my mom's birthday up this year, invited her friend (and kept it a surprise) and made steak, Crab legs and Chocolate cake for dessert. Jamie picked out a balloon for her (and for herself) and Mom was really pleased and touched.

My birthday was just a couple of weeks ago. I told Mike, lets not celebrate on the actual day, (which was a Thursday) let's instead do it up on Saturday - as we had plans to go to Amaizing acres...Anyway, my mom did make a cake and called Mike up to bring her over on my actual birthday...so next year I will have to clue her in.

I am just not in the birthday mood on a workday for some reason.

Work is really stressful. I am always afraid to say more than that. I have heard horror stories of folks getting in trouble with what they say on their blogs about their jobs.

And the first photo is one of Jamie and her new BFF Emmie. These two are so happy with each other! We are so blessed to have found Emmie and her mom Steph. We had originally met them at our local library where we have been going with Jamie since she was a baby. The girls clicked so well, I gave Emmie's mom Stephanie my blog info and we talked about maybe getting together. A week later she was at our church!! We had just started back and they were newcomers. A happy cooincidence - both Stefanie and Emmie are alot of fun to be around and we get together a couple times per week.

I have to keep my spirited girl full of fun activities to keep her on the right track. It helps so much.

Halloween is a month long now!

Is it just because I am a mommy of a little kid now or did Halloween suddenly morph into a 'season' instead of a day? We have been all Halloween all the time around here lately. Today was the culminating event of course. It was so hot here today we opted for 2 grocery store trick or treat before heading out to the streets.

A good time was had by all, now I am sure Jamie will want to wear a costume tomorrow as well, when we go to church. Sorry no photos yet, I am photo download challenged lately as the softwear isnt working anymore. Might be time to invest in some that would allow me to actually view the photos easily before trying to blog with them.

Oh and I am getting where I detest football. (Am I the only one?)

Fall fun

This was at the not so Amaizing Acres last weekend. The corn was hip high and thus the maze was really not all that amaizing! All of us adults that went came from Northern parts where the corn gets as high as an elephants high...but this corn was about puppy dog eye high. At over $35 for four to enter (We brought Jamie's friend Emmie from Church), we thought it was a bit pricy. It was a huge ex-chicken farm, the folks that owned it had to change gears when Tyson pulled out of town. So they built a corn maze and charge admission to ex-northerners who are homesick for a traditional autumn setting. It was way out in the boonies, they had a corn pool, hay bales to climb on, and a playground as well as the corn maze.

We were very blessed with the cool fall weather, only a high of 65 or so and sunny. Jamie, Ander and Emmy really like it though, I guess that is what counts.

Jamie's school Photos at 3 3/4 yrs old

Ok so last year this place did the photos at her school and they warn you that they will be full body poses, that shoes will show. And I just didn't like the photos that much. Her head was so small you could barely see her beautiful face. So this year in 'Special Instructions' I put 'Make her head be the central focus, I don't care so much for a full body pose.

What do you think? I think they took offense at my suggestion..this third shot is riduculous- I didn't mean for her head had to be the only thing in the photo!!!

Also they had a warning on the photos saying there was some kind of chemical in the photos that would 'explode' or 'may harm your photos' if you scan or copy them.

Is this some kind of BS or what? Last year, when I saw this warning, I asked for them to send me a digital copy so I could blog with the photo and they never did despite me calling them again.

I'm a bit put out with this company...but the photos are nice doncha think?

So we took a chance and scanned them anyway, guess we picked the ones that didn't have the special chemical in it!

Jamie's New Teacher

Her new teacher is a dream come true! She is a middle aged woman, but she is so confident and laid back! And warm! She greets my little girl with enthusiasm, you know like she is really glad to see her. Such a relief.

Other news, Jamie started her real Ballet Class Thursday and she loves it! Her other class is actual called Rythmic Movement, and in that class she learned how to skip on Saturday. Yes Skipping is a big thing at this age...A milestone they tell me. She looked so cute.

Jamie's posse was missing at church today, she wasn't so thrilled about being there.

Mike is still working crazily every day and night. There was a great letter to the Editor about how the teachers are so busy jumping through hoops for the state and district they can barely teach...Here is the link if you would care to see what he is up against.

Between football and his workload I am feeling a bit like a weekend widow. I need to get out more....

Reading any John Lithgow?

Do you know of John Lithgow? You know the funny guy who played an alien dad in that quirky show 3rd Rock from the Sun? We just love the John Lithgow childrens books. ' I got 2 Dogs' which is a true story of him and his 2 dogs Penny and Blue and is basically a very catchy song and comes with a cd; 'Carnivale of Animals' which is based on a Ballet piece and has a cd to go with it and has opened up my girls eyes to classical music...she likes the 'picolope' (Piccolo);and 'Micawber' - the story of a squirrel in NY city who goes to the Museum of art every day and looks through the glass ceiling at the paintings within.

Most of them come with CD's but the latest Lithgow book we got is about a boy who plays many different musical instruments - The Remarkable Farkle McBride -and is the only one so far that doesn't come with a cd, music or otherwise. I just went to Wikipedia and learned this:

In June 2002 Lithgow released his second children's album Farkle and Friends. It was the musical companion to his book The Remarkable Farkle McBride, which tells the story of a young musical genius. Farkle and Friends features the vocal talents of Lithgow and Bebe Neuwirth backed by the Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra.

So I guess I will look for that CD maybe the next time we are at the library.

These books offer all of us some pleasure. And I have found that no matter how wound up Jamie gets; reading books while laying down in our bed right before we put her to bed is a ritual that is never skipped. Even if she isnt' being a well behaved little girl. It's our entire family's time to wind down, cozy up and read or listen.

Computer Problems

Sorry I haven't been blogging, I have burned through 2 of the four laptops we have in the last couple of weeks. And my baby Toshiba (original laptop with a 13" screen) has started acting up too.

We are waiting for a replacement for the new cheap one we bought and the other one to come back from repair from the Geek Squad...

Chik Fil A tonight with friends and at trip at long last to the scary monster store for Jamie to see her hearts desire...that girl just loves Halloween! There wasnt too much crying or screaming for what she wanted...which was a Princess Candy Bucket, A Batty Fairy Princess costume and of all things a little Geisha girl costume.

Can you believe all the Halloween stores this year? They are springing up like Fireworks stores in the summertime....

Mish Mash

• Jamie's new teacher seems better, Jamie napped today, the first nap at school in weeks!
• My new boss started yesterday, she seems nice
• Mike is still exhausted and stretched thin
• Swimming weather will be coming to an end here soon, down into the low 60s tonite, maybe even 50's!
• Dog Day at the Arbortorium is Saturday, I think we are going (Gator Bye week)
• Gator bye week means I have my husband all weekend!
• I have lost 8 lbs since the beginning of August
• We have lost 2 of our four laptops in the last 2 weeks =the new one got sent back for a replacement and the older Toshiba needs a new motherboard (thank god for warranties)

Jamie's New Teacher

When Jamie's school moved into the new building about 3 weeks ago she got a new teacher who was hired to take on the almost fours and newly fours. This women couldn't get my child to nap. And when I spoke to her about it she would get all agitated. I mean I could tell that my child agitated her.

Every morning I would try to speak to her...she was always sweeping! no warm greeting for my girl who would always run to her...And she was so frustrated, not just with Jamie but with most of her kids in that class who wouldnt nap.


I made several suggestions...why not nap them a little later - she would try to put them down at noon and there aint no way my child ever sleeps that early...Finally after about 2 wks of no napping for my girl I said something to the director - that I felt the new teacher didn't have the right personna to handle my child. THat I think Jamie is feeding off the agitation...

Friday was the new teachers last day...I hope I didn't get her fired, but am also hopeful for a better teacher for my Jamie.

Getting ready for consignment sale! & The Gator's Debacle

I woke up at 6am straight up thinking omigosh I am not ready for the consignment sale next weekend! Rather than taking and posting new photos of this years preparationk, here is a link to the post with photos I took last September. My living room is basically in the same state, but with size 24 mos instead of 18 mos.

Since I have a scheduled Tuesday drop off I really only have today and tomorrow night to finish the preparations- I know I am such a procrastinator!

Since this is a biannual event in our household, Mike knows the drill - in lieu of actually helping me with the sorting, hanging, tagging, ironing etc, he gets full time care of Jamie including meals and dressing.

After yesterday's Gator game debacle it's good for Mike to be with Jamie hands-on today. Debacle? You may say "how could it be a debacle, didn't they win the game against Tennessee?"

Well yes, although they won, they apparently didn't win by enough for my hard to please Gator. He expected much more from Teebow and crew and was in a major snit for the rest of the evening...to the point he barely spoke to me or Jamie.

Arrghh, how much longer is Football Season?!

I am going to lose this weight!~

There I said it. Now I have to follow through. I am doing something I cant really remember ever doing. Counting calories. I know I know, it sounds like drudgery, but there is a really cool website called live.strong.com and it has this Daily Plate feature. It allows you to plug in your food and keep track of your calories. Once you plug it in once it's there on your sidebar so it's easy to just click on your regular foods.

I lost over 25 lbs back in 2005 before we get Jamie so I know I can do this. Back then I didn't even count calories I just exercised...alot. (And stayed off Ice Cream) This time I am doing the opposite - except for the Ice Cream which I am still staying off.

Maybe I can reach the nirvana state of weight loss and do both someday - look how fast the weight peeled off me when I was rowing on the rowing machine 3 or more times per week!

I just don't seem to have the energy, time or motivation for working out yet, so for now I am just counting.

I have lost 3 lbs in 2 weeks. 34 lbs to go to my ideal weight.

*Graph courtesy of http://www.fertilityfriend.com/

Life sure is busy right now!

I can't believe I haven't posted for almost 2 weeks! Life just keeps getting more and more complicated.

I went from having a 'house husband' over the summer to feeling like a 'teacher widow'. Mike's school recieved an 'F' rating based on the state test scores, so now there is hell to pay. And he is paying it, or should I say our family is paying.

He had to jump through alot of elaborate hoops in setting up his room and his lesson plans. Both District and the state has been at his school this week and while randomly choosing classrooms, both picked his to observe and intricately check everything in his room (while class is going on) for compliance.

He is up most nights until after 1am working on his stuff, and then off to school at 5:45 or so; and then not home til 5:45 pm. at this rate of work he is probably making about $5-6 dollars per hour.

I worry about his health = his stamina seems to be failing.

So I guess saying that I shouldnt whine that I am doing most of the childcare, shopping, cleaning, dishes laundry etc...Not that I am keeping track or anything!

I can't wait for Christmas Vacation! Mike will be off, not me, but I will get my house husband back!

She appears to be a natural!

Her first dance class was Saturday morning, just a very small class with onlyl two other little girls, both 3 years old as well. She did so well! She was so focused and listened and pretty much did what was asked. She is already asking to go to dance class again.

She wants to dance

"Mommy look at my practice!" says my Jamie as she twirls to the Kate n Ashley ballerina video.

She just loves ballet type dance so we are going to enroll her I think. One of the local outfits had "Rythmic movement" whch is 45 minutes on Saturday mornings. She has to wear footless tights and a tunic, no shoes. They do a bit of musical movement and acro or tumbling. Its a couple of miles away, and the facility doesnt' have a/c. (wonder if it has heat?) It is $45/MO plus a registration fee and she will eventually need a Black leotard (i have 3 pink ones!) and pink footless tights which are about $15 each. They will waive the registration if I buy an item from a local dance shop...

Then there is another class I just found out about, its at her school on Tuesday ams so I wouldnt have to transport her or get to see her in motion. It is the same rate but no waiving of the registration fee. Also no dress code, so a bit of a wash in that regard. But this class focuses on Dance. We would also have to buy ballet shoes...

I am thinking of doing both the first month and seeing which one she likes best or which one works out the best for two very busy and exhausted parents.