The first official DANCE

 How did fourteen get here so fast?   And WHY did I think that it was ok to let her pick her own dress?  And why oh why is she so beautiful?????????

During our brief vacation from public school last year, Brittney became GREAT friends with so many wonderful people.  She has remained close with most of the homeschool group, many of them go to church with us and around 10 of them have been taking a ball-room dance class on Friday nights all winter.  One of the moms decided to plan a formal dance to let them show off their skills.  It turned out so wonderful.  The whole deal…but on a much smaller scale than a highschool prom.  I think there around 30 kids present, so we rented an old house, hired a DJ and had fingerfoods catered. 

Nana was wonderful as usual and took Brittney shopping for the dress of her dreams.  THIS is what she found…     with a bit of Brittney-tude

We arrived a fasionable 15 min late and were greeted in the parking lot by friends and parents:

The hugs and “….I love that dress, you look GORGEOUS, look at your shoes – wow, that hair”  were abundant….

None of my wide group shots turned out well….and while I kinda like most of those other kiddos, my favorite pictures are of my angel-eyes

…and her closest friends that also call me mom…front row, far left Aislynn, cute girl (don’t know her), Brittney, Alissa, slightyly behind you can’t see Kaleigh, Arianna, Kara, and two more pretty girls I don’t know

Now this one made me have butterflies in my tummy:

 

My baby-girl is growing up and standing there with a good-looking man…neither of which look 14 years old. 

 

BUT…. the funniest picture of the night

These 3 guys in the front are Cason, Hezekiah and Nick.

Cason is Brittney’s dance partner for class.  They get along fine and occasionally think there are possible “sparks” but mostly they are friends. 

Hezekiah…the guy who looks very VERY scared…..   well – he should have been!!!!   Brittney fell for him almost a year ago and has held onto that crush all along.  About a month ago he decided to “ask her out”  (you remember, goin’ together?) and they were a couple.  Funny thing though – he stopped coming to dance class, had ample opportunity to see her on other occasions and never seemed available.  I thought it was weird…but I’m just the mom.  Well, Monday before the dance, good ‘ol Hez decides he doesn’t have TIME for a girlfriend and breaks my little girls heart.  They talked it through and were back together until Wed. when it was over again.  I still don’t know the details but if Brittney’s ok, I’m ok.  This ^ picture I yelled down from the stairs for the boys to look and Hez saw me there for the first time…..  think he’s a bit worried about Mom’s feelings on the whole thing?   Anyway – all that to say it made me LOL!   He’s a nice kid and I’m not anxious for Brittney to have a steady boyfriend yet so I’ll be forgiving him and hoping to see him in the future.

Nick….AKA… BRO in our house.  Brittneys best guy friend.  They talk all the time and share their lives.  I love to see them joking with each other.  He was on cloud nine…that pretty pink princess next to him was his date! 

I’ll not bore you with the drama from the night….  it was a typical TEEN function though.

All in all I think everyone had a good time and Brittney is looking forward to her next dance.  The 8th grade formal.

Will someone pLeAse tell me when they started having FORMALS in middle school?  

 

quote from AmyD in comments:

Tam (http://www.xanga.com/taminaz) has reposted her blogs on joy and contentment separate from what others do. It is a hard lesson and one I’m not completely ready for, to be honest. But what I do keep reminding myself of is when she says we need to work unto the Lord even when our families don’t appreciate what we’re doing- to realize that by loving our husbands even when they don’t quite deserve it we are loving Christ, and He will be the one to reward us.

Now you will see how truly cynical I really am right now….

I have not taken the time to read this blog…and not so sure that I will for awhile.  The funny thing is – in the last couple of weeks I HAVE chosen contentment and joy.  I was actually accepting that our marriage is what it is and I can choose to be happy in the good things (shelter, transportation, food on the table, GREAT friends, church family, etc) and accept what I don’t like.  For the first time in a long while I had a genuine smile on my face.

So, I think this weekend kinda pissed me off.  I mean – why now?  I was doing good.  Not only did this game thing happen but some other things took place over the weekend that REALLY threw me for a loop.  I feel like someone put me into a gravity-free room and I’m floating around trying to find a ground…knowing that it will continue to ellude me. 

You guys getting sick of me yet?   LOL!  I am.

 

 

Just a quick glance

This is what it’s like to try to get Easter pictures.  After church, before lunch and nap.

I’ll post some cute egg-hunt ones later.

 

 

False Hope

 

R went to Sams to pick up pizza for supper.  He called me from the store and said he was buying a new game.  GuildWars…a 3 pack.  Thanks Sams for putting THAT on clearance.

 

Oh well…. guess it was just boredom with the game and not the desire to spend time with his family.

……………………………..sigh…………………………………………..

 

Guess I’m going out for awhile tonight.   Walmart anyone?  (see comments from last entry)

Shock!

That’s what I feel right now. 

Not overwhelming joy that I would have anticipated.

Not accusing questions that would have come a few months ago.

Just a complete and utter lack of words.

Shock.

 

I won’t EVEN tell you the day I had…it was L.O.N.G.  But all day I just had this desired to go out tonight.  Like, I REALLY wanted a good meal and to be served and relax.  A date.  That’s what I wanted.  So, I called my bestfriend Amy (who’s b-day was yesterday) and asked if she wanted to go out.  She already had plans with her husband but invited me along.  Very unexpectedly things just fell into place from there.  My mother agreed to watch the kids at her house, my friends picked up R at home and I met them at Red Lobster. 

We’re chatting along like the old friends that we are (Amy and her husband set R and I up on a blind-date almost 11 years ago).  And the conversation changes over to WOW (world of warcrack, um I mean warcraft…R’s game).  Ralph just quietly slips in…yeah, my subscription expires in 3 days.

Silence.

No one at the table spoke.

I slightly giggled thinking he must be joking.

He wasn’t

He even shared with me on the ride home that he has a gift card to pay for at least one more month of the game….and he will likely sell it on ebay. 

I’ll write more tomorrow after it sinks in. Or maybe not. I dunno…

 

I’m editing this to add that at this very moment the only thought running through my head is:   too little, too late

I sure hope that’s not true.

 

 

 

Spring break

Spring break is over. 

BIG SIGH!

Last week is the first time in 7 months that I have wanted to go back to being a SAHM.  Well, toward the end of the week anyway, it was just so hard to think about coming back to work on Monday morning.  But I did make it and here I sit enjoying the fruits of diligent teaching.  Meaning… I taught them to be self-sufficient in the computer lab. hahahahaha.  I currently have a first grade class of 15 and they are all happily glued to PBS kids.   I love my job, I love my work-place, I love the environment – there’s really nothing about it at all that I would want to change.

It was a busy spring break starting early Sat morning.  The 2 older girls planned time with Nana in VA.  As amazing as it is, Nana (my ex-MIL) is a very dear friend.  She adores her grandchildren and her role as being the one to spoil them.  She is very kind to me and always makes such effort to get the girls.  I try not to complain about the trips to get them there but….. well, having 4 younger kids makes it not so easy.  It is a 6 hour distance between our homes – she travels 4 and I travel 2.  So, our first day of spring break and we were up at 7 and out of the house by 8.  The trip wasn’t bad at all – Nana was late so the kids happily played out of their carseats for an hour, we found a BK for lunch and got back on the road. 

We got home right around nap time…but with all the car sleeping I figured it wouldn’t be worth putting them down.  So a little TV and computer time and then we had to head out to a party.  My dear friend Amanda was kind enough to allow me to bring all 4 younger kids and provided a wonderful (stuffed shells) dinner and then bday cake for dessert.  The only downfall is that Amanda lives in a PERFECT house.  I’m always a nervous wreck taking my kids there so I was thrilled that the boys and Alli were on their best behavior.  She kindly turned on Sponge Bob and put the boys at a table in front of the tube – they sat and ate and even asked to be excused.  Alli tried her best to be involved with the birthday presents… the party was for Amanda’s 2 y/o Victoria … and the girls are really good at sharing. 

 

The weather was still spring like and we headed outside as soon as the cake was over.  There was a really neat water table and all of the little ones gathered ’round and actually did a decent job at keeping the water where it belonged.  I figured 2 hours was a good time to call it quits, even though the kids were all still being wonderful, and loaded up and went home.

The big discussion the whole week before had been about the possibility of going camping for a few days.  Now, I’m not one for camping – and especially not with 3 kids under 5 – but these circumstances were a bit different.  Close friends were going to Suchess and the campsite has an actual building, complete with tables and chairs, electricity, tv, game-cube, fire-pit in a gazebo, A FULL BATHROOM, etc.  Lots of woods to explore and no water close enough to tempt the kids.  R has Sun and Mon off so I thought it would a perfect mini-vacation – plus something special for the kids.  Well, he outright refused to go.  No way to change his mind…. I TRIED.  So, Sat I decided I’d be brave and just take the kids on my own.  Well – this is when I realized that we only have one vehicle.  R has a work truck but, due to some trivial matters, he is already under the microscope at work and can’t drive it for anything.  This would leave him stranded at home for 48 hours – and he had plans!  I wasn’t so nice about the whole thing.  As was actually down-right angry and not speaking to him.

Sunday morning dawned with me still angry, Jacob coughing like crazy and a trashed house.  At 9:30 I decided to go to church, hoping it would help my mood.  On my way out, R said something about going to his moms … I said no.  This didn’t help our already angered state.  Church was ….  well ….. spiritual.   Imagine that!  I was in tears by the end of sunday school but decided to go on to service.  No surprise that the sermon angered me instead of touching me – might have been better to stay home.  I made it through the service and when I got home I dressed the kids and told R that it was perfect timing for the one hour drive to his moms.  I packed a bag and told him to have fun.  A bit flabbergasted he loaded up the kids and left.  I proceeded to turn on Father of the Bride II followed by Miss Congeniality enhanced with my favorite quilt, pajamas and 3/4 of a half-gallon of BirthdayCake ice-cream.  None of which improved my mood.  By night-fall I was falling deeper into self-pity and did some writing.  I think this kinda scared some of my friends…lol.  Thankfully I was smart enough to share and by Monday night I was able to see beyond the fog again. 

Monday was spent with R and the kids at Chuckee Cheese and a bit of shopping.  After naps I left R in charge and headed out for some Easter shopping.  It was actually VERY nice to shop by myself, with a purpose and with a small cushion in the bank account (thank you IRS).  I then headed to Amanda’s to watch the season opener of The Bachelor-Officer and a Gentleman.  I know, I know, trash TV…but QUITE entertaining with an endless supply of chocolate and a good friend to LOL with. 

Tuesday – I don’t remember, must have been pretty uneventful.

Wednesday – a very cool assignment of taking some casual photos of a 2007 graduate.  She wanted some casual shots for her announcement which I will now design.  We had a blast.  My mothers well-groomed yard was the perfect back-drop PLUS the added bonus of a sitter while I worked.  I then did a quick KMart run, picked up the kids, picked up Pizza Hut and relaxed at home.

Thursday was a laundry marathon with the anticipation of a busy weekend.

Friday morning was the return trip for the girls.  So up at 7, load the kids and thankfully one of Brittneys friends came along for support.  Another decent trip there and back.  We headed to my mothers to greet both of my brothers and their families who arrived in the wee hours.  Funny side story:

One brother lives in Charleston, SC and the other in Port St. Luci, FL – they both left Thursday night and headed home.  Around 5:30am the FL brother calls the SC brother and says…”hey, did you just cross over 985 on ATL hwy?  I think I saw your jeep”   They arrived at the exact same time to that location.  How cool is that?

We had a short visit there before heading out to do my taxi runs.  LOL.  Trust me, when your kids get to be teens, you’ll understand.   Brittney is now involved with 2 extracurricular activities (thanks Nana).  Her first kayaking session was at 4 and when it was scheduled I figured it would be fine to just take everyone along.  I didn’t factor in a windchill temp of around 35 degrees!   Crazy GA weather!!!  So, I had grabbed coats for the kids and we did try to play in the open field and watch the kayak team go out…. but 15 min was my limit.  Thankfully a friend offered to take Brittney to dance class for me and I was released to get out of the weather.  Later found out that Brittney flipped the kayak twice… yep, it’s COLD in that water.  She came home with the worst case of wind burn I’ve ever seen – still peeling 4 days later.  Plus she has had laryngitis since the day after.  R got home just in time for me to pick up Britt.  This is when I realized that the girls didn’t have a suitable Easter outfit.  So, off we go to shop at 8pm on Friday night!!!!!!   11:40 we are finally home and I fall into bed around 1am.

Saturday morning dawned to early with my 2 y/o alarm clock.  Alli is SO sweet and innocent that I figured she’d be FINE with a little noggin, some juice and dry cereal.  However….as most moms know….this is not bright on my side.  I snuggled up on the couch only to awaken to PURPLE!!  evErYwhEre!!!!   And not just any purple.  A purple Sharpie!   Yep, permanent.  On the television, the walls, my window sills, my cream loveseat, my brown recliner, the highchair, the computer desk.  I swear I couldn’t have slept more than 20 min.  Thankfully she somehow missed Brittneys new white dress…sigh…  

I woke everyone, fed them breakfast and loaded them up to go with my brothers.  Praise for my Sisters-in-law who had arranged for the boys to watch the kids while we girls went out for alone time.  They were sweet enough to include my 6 kids in this deal.  So my mother and I with my two SsIL headed over to the nail salon.  Pedicures and manicures all around.  Two hours of pampering!  It was divine!  Then the rush of the afternoon.  More kayak practice 2-4 on Sat. BUT – I made a trade, I left my 5 younger ones and took my 4month old niece.  (shhhhh, don’t tell anyone that I got the good end of that deal!)  No improvement on the weather so the coach went with running and weight-room practice …. I don’t think Britt would have gotten back in the kayak looking at the whitecaps on our normally calm lake.  After we headed to the grocery store and home to trow in some taco soup and cheese dip.  R had arranged to buy the UFC PPV and have some friends over.  Quick scrub of the toilets and hiding of the toys and back to my mothers to check on kids.  I arrived just in time to color eggs and help with supper.  Baked ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls.  mmmmmmmm    Finally left there at 8 and headed home to greet the guest.  I did manage to get all the kids to bed with some white-noise help and entertained myself until 1:30am.  About half of the 10 “strangers” (I had only met 2 of them before then) left around midnight but the other half didn’t wander out until 2:30.  I did get all of the easter “baskets” set out too. 

Sunday was normal get ready for church, hide the chocolate before dressing of course and get to church on time.  The big surprise of the day was, after delivering my nieces and nephews to various nursery, I came back to church and sat down next to my husband.  Yep, he decided on his own to come.  Quite interesting.  Then it was pictures at grandmas and lunch, then egg-hunt and more pictures and then quiet (well, ok, ten kids doesn’t lend to quiet) but visiting on the couch for the afternoon.

All in all it was a pleasant visit with my family and I miss them already. 

 

Win a Dyson…

Yeah…. who couldn’t use a new vacuum??

 

http://www.5minutesformom.com/1343/dyson/

 

I’ve heard great things about Dyson  but I’ve never researched them – still I’d love to have one.  Thought a couple of you might get in on this, not much time left to enter.