My normal Tuesday involves sending the kids to school, getting ready for my preschool kids to come and stay extended day.. that means until 2:00 PM.. having an hour to myself before I pick my own kids up from school and taking the oldest two to piano lessons and then coming back to deal with dinner and homework and music practices. Not really exciting but a day I can mentally deal with. But today....
Today is a day that has FINALLY come! I did my part. I marked my ballot. I made my choice. No more political ads on TV.. no more listening to biased reporters trying to hide the fact they are openly supporting their candidate on air... no more! no more! no more! Please! The day is here.. the vote is on.. it's over.. right?
No. Reality check. I'm pretty sure both sides will not give up without a long, drawnout legal battle now. If we thought 2001 was bad, just wait. And the worst part? Neither side will do whatever they've promised.. mostly because they will be unable to. While we have been bombarded with presidential campaign ads and posters and interviews and paparazzi stories and debates and ... and.. and.. the smaller campaigns have been more or less ignored.
We should be concerned with who's running the House and Senate. Because whoever is running the House and the Senate, there is where change and hope will grow or die. The President can suggest and write and propose and invite and counsel and .. and.. and.. but without the Congress, he's just one man with an idea. On the other hand, if the House and Senate are behind him as President, he can do whatever he wants and there is no one to say 'Stop! Let's talk about this!' It's the House and Senate we should be watching closely.
The media, American citizens, and the world powers have villified President George W. Bush and I'm not here to say the man has not made some serious mistakes or that he didn't pretty much bow out several months ago, but the man does not work alone. And we should look back 4 years ago. Americans had a choice 4 years ago. We. Us. The American voters. Bush or Kerry. John Kerry is the best option the Democrats gave us then. Can ANYONE imagine John Kerry dealing with something like the aftermath of September 11, 2001? I don't believe you if you said yes. And I truly believe if we do not finish this fight over in the terrorists part of the world, they will bring it back to ours. They came here once and we arrogant Americans couldn't believe someone did not stop them. Who? Who should have stopped them? The President? Everything he put forth Congress immediately smothered. We have no border control. We have subjective immigration forms. The Clintons had reduced our military in their days so we were still building back up protection units.
Look back even farther. Al Gore. Would he have taken care of 9/11? I don't think so but he'd definitely be better than Kerry! I think Al would have done what his predecessor did. Ignore the attacks. Give us some smarmy explanation on TV and show us how good his hair looked that day. Terrorism has been around for decades. Americans have been targets for many more years than the measly 8 years of President George W. Bush. 20 years ago, I was in Vienna when the Vienna and London airports were bombed. I was there and told not to speak English or I'd be a target. I was there when America bombed Libya and missed Kadafi.
side story: One night late, my roommate and I had to catch the last bus home for the night.. it was dark and no one was on the street. We were still under the instructions not to speak English on the streets but since no one was around, we did. Until 2 men of Middle Eastern looks came around the corner. We switched to German too late. They'd heard us. They got on the bus with us and asked us where we were from. We were not good liars so we said America. Lucky for us, all they said was, "Why did you miss?" I was so grateful to get to my apartment that night.
I would talk to the Austrian people who told me continually to 'take my bombs and go home.' And all I wanted to say back to those old coots was 'you wouldn't be here so smug and rude without my bombs'.
We've had military barracks around the world bombed over the years. Americans kidnapped and tortured. And we've had Democratic Presidents in office when these atrocities have happened. Hmmm. What did President Clinton do that has made him off limits to consequences for his actions? Why don't we hold the Clintons responsible for their choices? I don't remember major economic crises during his years and I've been told he was good with domestic policy. OK. But he was no world leader in my eyes. Jimmy Carter is a great humanitarian today but he was no world leader in his day either. After a Democratic President, we Americans seem to remember we need SOME protection for our country and some gumption and action from our President. What did Reagan do? I remember from his campaign saying on TV to Iran.. 'those hostages had better be released before I get into the Oval office or here we come!' and within days after that election, those hostages were home.
Does that imply respect for the Democratic way of thinking? I see pure nose-snubbing from Iran. Do I see a different attitude coming from them if Obama gets in? No. McCain? No. But which one will keep Iran from testing its bombs on us or our few allies? Hmmm. Pres. Bush may not be liked anymore, but he's still respected enough as a world leader that these other world wannabes are still leaving us alone. He's proven he won't just sit and chat!
I'm not sure where I'm going with my thoughts but I know I'm tired of the media trying to portray me as unAmerican for respecting the office of President of the United States of America. I'm tired of the whiny people the media seem to find whenever there's a crisis. I know there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. I also know Sadam Hussein needed to come down. Was it our job to do that? Probably not. But we did. President Bush did not have full authority to launch war tactics by himself. If he did, we'd still be hearing the whining from Congress about their lack of power. Why are we not holding those Senators responsible for their decision to attack? Because the media says it's all Bush's fault. And because those same Senators are flip-flopping all over their reasons for their decisions back then. We had what we had and we did the best we could then. Hindsight is always 20/20. Admit it and move on.
Was it George W. Bush's fault a hurricane hit New Orleans? No. But the media did everything they could to make us believe it was. And they found every whiny hiny sitting in the dome of the Saints with their hands out. 'Where's the water? Why haven't you brought our handouts yet? Oh look! A box of clothes! Let's dig through and take only what we like and leave the rest strewn across the lawn! What? You want me to pick up my own trash? Where's my medicine? Why are you letting us die?' My guess says every one of those dying citizens had a TV in their home before the hurricane and every TV for days had been warning about Hurricane Katrina coming straight at them. Hello? What did they do to help themselves? Did they save any water bottles? Did they look up a bus schedule? Pack any medicine? Get school buses loaded and moving? The only girl I wanted to help was the one who got tired of sitting and waiting by a bridge and said she was going to walk out of town. Where was the mayor? The governor? Who's brilliant idea was it to let the prisoners out of prison? Why did they get more privileges than the outside citizens? Where are those leaders now? They reelected the mayor.. albeit a more humble mayor and he's doing better at fixing his city. The governor is long gone. Oprah was quick on the scene with her sob-story telling and hand outs ready.. and it went on and on.. in fact, it's still going on!
And yet, the mid-states flooded out this year. Farms and crops ruined. Families and livelihoods destroyed. Where was Oprah for them? Where were the hand outs and the collection boots on the street corners for them? I didn't see any. Was that because the media didn't feel it was worth showing over and over and over again? It was a story on the local nightly news and then forgotten for more impressive stories like Obama has another successful fundraiser. Why didn't he help those farmers and fundraise for them? Why doesn't he get his moviestar friends to cough up some much needed fundraising relief for people losing their homes? their retirements? their insurance?
OK. I'm done for now. I can't get started on the whiny hiny movie stars who befriend and manipulate American politicians and then move to Europe so the tax policies won't affect them and they won't have to 'share the wealth'. It's election Tuesday and in about 4 hours the polls will close. The campaigns are over. The ads can stop running and interrupting reality TV. Thank goodness tomorrow is Wednesday! Then the real fighting can begin.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Reunions, Gatherings, Get-Togethers....
Well, we made it through another reunion! Every year I look so forward to seeing the people I got to chat with and get to know better from the year before and every year, I end up talking to someone else that I didn't know so well before and barely seeing the people from the year before! But I pat myself on the back for being able to float from family to family and know something about each family and the family lines that draw them in!
I've been going to reunions for years and years. My own family held reunions but weren't really good at it. My maternal grandfather's family would gather one evening at a local park and each family would sit at their table and eat their own food and then the old ones would sit and talk to their kin while us young ones would go off to play with the kids we knew and we never got to know the other family lines, kids, parents, foods... not really what a reunion is meant for if you ask me. And when my grandparents and their siblings started dying off, my aunts and uncles decided a reunion wasn't necessary. Wasn't necessary? I say just the opposite!
My friend's family reunion is where I have found the most satisfaction in attending a reunion. Their family reunion tree goes back 5-6 generations now. They know the family members that aren't here any more and they know their 4th and 5th generation cousins. They get together at least 2-3 times a year. They appoint a committee to be in charge of the family Christmas dinner and show and the full reunion in September.
For the reunion, they camp for 3 days at a specific campground. I have found this seems to be a key ingredient for a successful reunion. A specific location. They tried to change the location of this reunion one year and boy! did the murmuring begin! They quickly booked the old location for the next year. Now they face the challenge again.. the campground is closing on Sundays. The family has not as yet agreed on a new location and they don't want to shorten the reunion by a day but they don't want to pull their kids out of school for a day and go up a day earlier. What to do?
I have attended my friend's family gatherings for over 20 years. I know their family lines better than they do! I have the gift of being able to float among families and know each line and place each member and can draw lines back to the original 3 sisters and 1 sister-in-law. This reunion has had upwards of 300 people attending, although every year is different! The one drawback with this group is that they sometimes get too elaborate with their activity planning and don't leave enough time for sitting and visiting.. but if they don't plan the activities, they also tend to stay inside their own family campsites and don't visit each other. They all go down to the common pavillion for pot luck dinners and breakfasts, and the children attend the children's activities, but the older ones sit in family groups and don't intermingle well at times. I really feel it is a gift to be able to float among different groups and maintain conversations and count friends among all!
The king's family reunites every October at a state park near Atlanta. Several families rent cabins for the weekend while others rent campsites. For years, we all rushed through regular Friday activities so we could stuff the royal carriage full and drive for 3 hours. We never left on schedule and almost always arrived after 11:00 PM on Friday night. We were smart enough to eat at McDonald's on the way up but the kids were far from ready for bed once we arrived at the cabin. So we not only had to calm the royal kids down, we had to prepare our "nectar of the gods" dishes for the potluck feast the next day. These dishes of course have to be perfect as we are there to show off our culinary skills!! We arose early Saturday morning to complete our edible art forms and then rushed down to the pavillion to sit and eat and visit for an hour. Then those who had cabins went back to collapse and nap until we heard who's hosting the campfire Saturday night. It was uncomfortable when we found out there were two campfires! We stayed up way too late trying to make up visiting hours and then we got up early Sunday to clean the cabin and get out by 11:00 AM. Where is the peace? Where is the relaxation? Where is the renewal of energy? I just spent everything I had financially, emotionally, and energetically to rush up to, run around, and leave the park.
The Monarch and I decided to extend our stays longer than the weekend. We rent the cabin for 5 days and look forward to the peace and quiet of nature and the chance to leisurely hike and row boats and walk the river rocks! We have 2 nights of campfires and singing and hot dog roasting and s'mores eating and visiting! His royal mum & dad come up with us. We have time to hike around the different trails and we rent boats and paddle around the lake. Last year, we got caught in a metal rowboat in the middle of the lake in a lightning storm! YIKES! We paddled as fast as we could to shore and scrambled up on the rocks to wait it out so we could row home! One year the king and the young royals learned to fish! We give ourselves all day on Friday to make our award-winning dishes for the reunion potluck!
Speaking of food, it amazes me how long it takes for a new dish to be accepted! Have I already said that here? It took 4 years for my cabbage salad to catch on. It took 2-3 years for the king's chicken & dumplings to take hold! Now they're both eagerly awaited! Oh yeah! I always look forward to the countess cousin's Strawberry Trifle Cake! YUM! And the king always looks forward to his royal sister's homemade macaroni and cheese! That's one good thing about reunions that share food! Only the best foods usually show up!
This year, the reunion torch was passed on to the king and I. We'll be in charge of renting the pavillion, remembering to bring the paper goods, setting up and cleaning up the eating area... One thing we're going to try and change is the length of time people hang around the pavillion. We have it rented for 8 hours. We're lucky if we use it for 2. So we have some ideas... we'll see! It's scary, this torch holding. If we don't get it right the first time, it won't take long before everyone doesn't come and they'll all say the reunion died out when the Monarch and Queen took over. If we do get it right, hopefully everyone will go home and tell their families what a great time they had and that the others should come next year.. keep your eye on that goal! The changes can't be too big or too little or the reunion dies out. Oh the pressure..... !!
I must say, I'm getting pretty good at drawing the monarch's family lines.. I can definitely place the reunion regulars on the family tree! And I have added branches and leaves this year! In the end, reunions are time well spent if my royal progeny learn their family lines and enjoy being among the different coats of arms in the family! If they can float among clans and carry on conversations and place the people on this big, twisted, nutty, Southern family tree, we've reunited successfully!
I've been going to reunions for years and years. My own family held reunions but weren't really good at it. My maternal grandfather's family would gather one evening at a local park and each family would sit at their table and eat their own food and then the old ones would sit and talk to their kin while us young ones would go off to play with the kids we knew and we never got to know the other family lines, kids, parents, foods... not really what a reunion is meant for if you ask me. And when my grandparents and their siblings started dying off, my aunts and uncles decided a reunion wasn't necessary. Wasn't necessary? I say just the opposite!
My friend's family reunion is where I have found the most satisfaction in attending a reunion. Their family reunion tree goes back 5-6 generations now. They know the family members that aren't here any more and they know their 4th and 5th generation cousins. They get together at least 2-3 times a year. They appoint a committee to be in charge of the family Christmas dinner and show and the full reunion in September.
For the reunion, they camp for 3 days at a specific campground. I have found this seems to be a key ingredient for a successful reunion. A specific location. They tried to change the location of this reunion one year and boy! did the murmuring begin! They quickly booked the old location for the next year. Now they face the challenge again.. the campground is closing on Sundays. The family has not as yet agreed on a new location and they don't want to shorten the reunion by a day but they don't want to pull their kids out of school for a day and go up a day earlier. What to do?
I have attended my friend's family gatherings for over 20 years. I know their family lines better than they do! I have the gift of being able to float among families and know each line and place each member and can draw lines back to the original 3 sisters and 1 sister-in-law. This reunion has had upwards of 300 people attending, although every year is different! The one drawback with this group is that they sometimes get too elaborate with their activity planning and don't leave enough time for sitting and visiting.. but if they don't plan the activities, they also tend to stay inside their own family campsites and don't visit each other. They all go down to the common pavillion for pot luck dinners and breakfasts, and the children attend the children's activities, but the older ones sit in family groups and don't intermingle well at times. I really feel it is a gift to be able to float among different groups and maintain conversations and count friends among all!
The king's family reunites every October at a state park near Atlanta. Several families rent cabins for the weekend while others rent campsites. For years, we all rushed through regular Friday activities so we could stuff the royal carriage full and drive for 3 hours. We never left on schedule and almost always arrived after 11:00 PM on Friday night. We were smart enough to eat at McDonald's on the way up but the kids were far from ready for bed once we arrived at the cabin. So we not only had to calm the royal kids down, we had to prepare our "nectar of the gods" dishes for the potluck feast the next day. These dishes of course have to be perfect as we are there to show off our culinary skills!! We arose early Saturday morning to complete our edible art forms and then rushed down to the pavillion to sit and eat and visit for an hour. Then those who had cabins went back to collapse and nap until we heard who's hosting the campfire Saturday night. It was uncomfortable when we found out there were two campfires! We stayed up way too late trying to make up visiting hours and then we got up early Sunday to clean the cabin and get out by 11:00 AM. Where is the peace? Where is the relaxation? Where is the renewal of energy? I just spent everything I had financially, emotionally, and energetically to rush up to, run around, and leave the park.
The Monarch and I decided to extend our stays longer than the weekend. We rent the cabin for 5 days and look forward to the peace and quiet of nature and the chance to leisurely hike and row boats and walk the river rocks! We have 2 nights of campfires and singing and hot dog roasting and s'mores eating and visiting! His royal mum & dad come up with us. We have time to hike around the different trails and we rent boats and paddle around the lake. Last year, we got caught in a metal rowboat in the middle of the lake in a lightning storm! YIKES! We paddled as fast as we could to shore and scrambled up on the rocks to wait it out so we could row home! One year the king and the young royals learned to fish! We give ourselves all day on Friday to make our award-winning dishes for the reunion potluck!
Speaking of food, it amazes me how long it takes for a new dish to be accepted! Have I already said that here? It took 4 years for my cabbage salad to catch on. It took 2-3 years for the king's chicken & dumplings to take hold! Now they're both eagerly awaited! Oh yeah! I always look forward to the countess cousin's Strawberry Trifle Cake! YUM! And the king always looks forward to his royal sister's homemade macaroni and cheese! That's one good thing about reunions that share food! Only the best foods usually show up!
This year, the reunion torch was passed on to the king and I. We'll be in charge of renting the pavillion, remembering to bring the paper goods, setting up and cleaning up the eating area... One thing we're going to try and change is the length of time people hang around the pavillion. We have it rented for 8 hours. We're lucky if we use it for 2. So we have some ideas... we'll see! It's scary, this torch holding. If we don't get it right the first time, it won't take long before everyone doesn't come and they'll all say the reunion died out when the Monarch and Queen took over. If we do get it right, hopefully everyone will go home and tell their families what a great time they had and that the others should come next year.. keep your eye on that goal! The changes can't be too big or too little or the reunion dies out. Oh the pressure..... !!
I must say, I'm getting pretty good at drawing the monarch's family lines.. I can definitely place the reunion regulars on the family tree! And I have added branches and leaves this year! In the end, reunions are time well spent if my royal progeny learn their family lines and enjoy being among the different coats of arms in the family! If they can float among clans and carry on conversations and place the people on this big, twisted, nutty, Southern family tree, we've reunited successfully!
Monday, October 6, 2008
FUMI Salad
I figured since I talked about my favorite salad dish, I'd throw in a recipe...
In a salad bowl mix:
1 head chopped up cabbage
8 green onions, chopped
8 Tblsp. toasted almonds
8 Tblsp. toasted sesame seeds
2 pkgs. crushed, dry Ramen noodles
1 can chicken (optional)
1 8oz can mandarin oranges (optional)
Dressing: Pour on just before serving
1 cup oil
6 Tblsp. vinegar
4 Tblsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 seasoning packets of Ramen noodles
1 tsp. Accent (or seasoning salt)
It's so easy and sooooo good! A one bowl dish!
In a salad bowl mix:
1 head chopped up cabbage
8 green onions, chopped
8 Tblsp. toasted almonds
8 Tblsp. toasted sesame seeds
2 pkgs. crushed, dry Ramen noodles
1 can chicken (optional)
1 8oz can mandarin oranges (optional)
Dressing: Pour on just before serving
1 cup oil
6 Tblsp. vinegar
4 Tblsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 seasoning packets of Ramen noodles
1 tsp. Accent (or seasoning salt)
It's so easy and sooooo good! A one bowl dish!
Finally... a VACATION!
We got a bus! It took another week but we are set for the year and the Princess gets on right in front of our castle! YEAH! I am volunteering in Prince 1's class for a few weeks to see why his math grades are WAY DOWN :( We kind of knew this was coming... We, the royal parents, knew P1 was skating on thin ice in math class... But he's shown such enjoyment in reading novels lately that we were watching reading and language arts ... not any more!
We are about to embark upon our royal tradition of spending several days at a cabin in the northern hills! I wish it was cooler but I'll take what I can get! The king's family holds a reunion every year in October where everyone makes their best potluck dish or two or three and we sit down for a few hours and FEAST! The kinsmen are kind of funny though ... I've taken one of my favorite dishes for years -- and for years I've come home with an almost full bowl again.. (it's a cabbage & chicken salad dish) and suddenly one year someone discovered it on the table and it was the hit of the potluck that year! I still make it and take it but I don't have to eat as many leftovers! The king has perfected his chicken and dumpling pot and it took a few years before it caught on! This royal line clearly does not explore unfamiliar foods... the years that new dishes get discovered are generally the years that the table pickin's are pretty slim to start with!!! (side note: It drives me crazy sometimes to see what some people bring to a potluck meal! They come with 5-7 people in tow and bring an 8 oz. can of heated corn or green beans... hello?? Enjoy your beans! )
It's always nice to see the extended royals though! I think it's great that even though several family lines are big enough and long enough to hold their own reunions, this one so far has managed to continue on the second weekend of October! Most of the royal clans rent cabins to stay in or bring tents and RV's for the weekend. There's always a big campfire somewhere and who doesn't love a good s'more cooked over a real campfire? Our clan rents a cabin for a few days longer than the others and we enjoy the beauty and peace of nature for a couple of days before the big cook-off begins!
I just have to get through the stress of preparing for the trip... Is the car ready to travel? What do we do with our animals? Will it be hot or cold? Who will get our daily correspondence or bring in the royal trash receptacle for us? Will the teachers let my kids make up their missed classwork? Can I hold on to the money I have set aside to pay for the trip before it gets nickel and dimed away? Will I get the castle cleaned before I leave so I don't return to a mess? Have I notified everyone that we won't be attending certain activities for a few days? and on.. and on.. and on... Our royal BFF's are preparing for a trip to Scotland in a week... I thought my to-do list was difficult! They have 4 youngsters, 2 dogs, 6 cats, a snake, and a bird to deal with as well as making sure their kilts are packed! Oh my dear, dear sister from another kingdom! Glad it's you!
The king and I debated whether to go on this outing... we have many, many reasons why we should cancel or back out... and only 2 really solid reasons for going... but those 2 reasons are what have convinced us to deal with teachers who don't want their students to miss class, pack our van with everything AND the kitchen sink, pray that the tires hold on and that there's gas to buy when we get where we're going, and call our loved ones to say "See ya soon!" as we hit the road again Jack!
Bottom line... I want to go!
See ya soon!
The Queen
We are about to embark upon our royal tradition of spending several days at a cabin in the northern hills! I wish it was cooler but I'll take what I can get! The king's family holds a reunion every year in October where everyone makes their best potluck dish or two or three and we sit down for a few hours and FEAST! The kinsmen are kind of funny though ... I've taken one of my favorite dishes for years -- and for years I've come home with an almost full bowl again.. (it's a cabbage & chicken salad dish) and suddenly one year someone discovered it on the table and it was the hit of the potluck that year! I still make it and take it but I don't have to eat as many leftovers! The king has perfected his chicken and dumpling pot and it took a few years before it caught on! This royal line clearly does not explore unfamiliar foods... the years that new dishes get discovered are generally the years that the table pickin's are pretty slim to start with!!! (side note: It drives me crazy sometimes to see what some people bring to a potluck meal! They come with 5-7 people in tow and bring an 8 oz. can of heated corn or green beans... hello?? Enjoy your beans! )
It's always nice to see the extended royals though! I think it's great that even though several family lines are big enough and long enough to hold their own reunions, this one so far has managed to continue on the second weekend of October! Most of the royal clans rent cabins to stay in or bring tents and RV's for the weekend. There's always a big campfire somewhere and who doesn't love a good s'more cooked over a real campfire? Our clan rents a cabin for a few days longer than the others and we enjoy the beauty and peace of nature for a couple of days before the big cook-off begins!
I just have to get through the stress of preparing for the trip... Is the car ready to travel? What do we do with our animals? Will it be hot or cold? Who will get our daily correspondence or bring in the royal trash receptacle for us? Will the teachers let my kids make up their missed classwork? Can I hold on to the money I have set aside to pay for the trip before it gets nickel and dimed away? Will I get the castle cleaned before I leave so I don't return to a mess? Have I notified everyone that we won't be attending certain activities for a few days? and on.. and on.. and on... Our royal BFF's are preparing for a trip to Scotland in a week... I thought my to-do list was difficult! They have 4 youngsters, 2 dogs, 6 cats, a snake, and a bird to deal with as well as making sure their kilts are packed! Oh my dear, dear sister from another kingdom! Glad it's you!
The king and I debated whether to go on this outing... we have many, many reasons why we should cancel or back out... and only 2 really solid reasons for going... but those 2 reasons are what have convinced us to deal with teachers who don't want their students to miss class, pack our van with everything AND the kitchen sink, pray that the tires hold on and that there's gas to buy when we get where we're going, and call our loved ones to say "See ya soon!" as we hit the road again Jack!
Bottom line... I want to go!
See ya soon!
The Queen
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Queen is Joining the Masses!
All Hail the Queen! I am trying my hand at this blogging thing... I'm not sure how it will work for me but hey! Here we go!
Let me begin by clarifying that my husband called me the Queen in his blog and I quite like it so I have continued to use the title to make blog comments. And I am the Queen of my castle!
Life gets more hectic by the day and somehow I don't feel like I'm keeping up all the time. I'm hoping by starting this blog, I can vent and release and watch and control and organize and keep up with my life! And if anyone else finds any interest in trying to follow along, come on! We'll ride this coaster together!
I've been having several "Wow! My daughter is getting it together and I need to let go so she can fly!" moments lately. But I don't want to let go! She's my baby girl! I watch her do her homework (some of which I don't remember any more and have to look up math terms) and participate in drama and music and interact with her friends and talk on the phone and try to plan and organize activities and I think, "WOW!"
We are trying to get her bus arrangements straightened out for middle school. She started 6th grade this fall. We had her signed up to attend a fine arts magnet middle school with the hopes that she would be called from the waiting list of a charter school downtown. We were completely OK to go the magnet school but we got the call just before school started so we switched to the charter school. The only drawback was there is no strings (music) class at the charter school but we got into chorus so OK. Back to the bus.. The bus company got the paperwork for the magnet school. So we have had to wait for them to correct the school and then make a bus stop for us. We were told it may take 2-3 weeks and we've tried to be patient. My princess decided today we needed to stop at the bus company and find out what's going on so we did. We found out they'd gotten an incorrect address, had assigned a new bus stop, and had been marking her a no-show for 3 days now! We finally got it straightened out and hopefully within the next 2-3 days we'll have a bus stop!
This story doesn't exactly demonstrate how I need to let my daughter fly but I wouldn't have stopped at the bus company without her encouragement today!
I was looking at my prince today. I have two princes but today was about the older one. He all of a sudden has grown up in the last few days. He also plays strings and is very gifted in that area. He is in 4th grade now and has to rotate classes with different teachers. Today I realized a little how much he's already grown in responsibility!
My younger prince is in kindergarten and so far, he's still my baby! A very smart baby, but still my baby and he still likes to need his mom! I need to keep it that way mentally for while!
This week the king is working away from home and days like today remind me how much I like having him around! I like that he takes over the early morning duties of the castle such as taking the princess to school, feeding and walking the royal hounds, making breakfast for the princes, Saturday morning violin classes.... This week I get to take over his duties and I'm not sure I like this turn of events... !? Anyway, I want the king home!
This Queen teaches preschool every day in her private school. I love the kids in my class.. I have a small class this year. I take a maximum of 6 three and four year olds. I have 3 students now, all boys and lots of fun! I am a den leader for cub scouts (prince 1 is a bear scout) and we meet once a week. Homework is going to be the end of me ... the princes do not like to write anything and the Queen does not like monthly projects! I forgot kindergarten has monthly projects due... ARRRGH!
So now you've met the royal family! We'll see what tomorrow brings! I have to go to sleep so I can get up earlier than I have in years!
Let me begin by clarifying that my husband called me the Queen in his blog and I quite like it so I have continued to use the title to make blog comments. And I am the Queen of my castle!
Life gets more hectic by the day and somehow I don't feel like I'm keeping up all the time. I'm hoping by starting this blog, I can vent and release and watch and control and organize and keep up with my life! And if anyone else finds any interest in trying to follow along, come on! We'll ride this coaster together!
I've been having several "Wow! My daughter is getting it together and I need to let go so she can fly!" moments lately. But I don't want to let go! She's my baby girl! I watch her do her homework (some of which I don't remember any more and have to look up math terms) and participate in drama and music and interact with her friends and talk on the phone and try to plan and organize activities and I think, "WOW!"
We are trying to get her bus arrangements straightened out for middle school. She started 6th grade this fall. We had her signed up to attend a fine arts magnet middle school with the hopes that she would be called from the waiting list of a charter school downtown. We were completely OK to go the magnet school but we got the call just before school started so we switched to the charter school. The only drawback was there is no strings (music) class at the charter school but we got into chorus so OK. Back to the bus.. The bus company got the paperwork for the magnet school. So we have had to wait for them to correct the school and then make a bus stop for us. We were told it may take 2-3 weeks and we've tried to be patient. My princess decided today we needed to stop at the bus company and find out what's going on so we did. We found out they'd gotten an incorrect address, had assigned a new bus stop, and had been marking her a no-show for 3 days now! We finally got it straightened out and hopefully within the next 2-3 days we'll have a bus stop!
This story doesn't exactly demonstrate how I need to let my daughter fly but I wouldn't have stopped at the bus company without her encouragement today!
I was looking at my prince today. I have two princes but today was about the older one. He all of a sudden has grown up in the last few days. He also plays strings and is very gifted in that area. He is in 4th grade now and has to rotate classes with different teachers. Today I realized a little how much he's already grown in responsibility!
My younger prince is in kindergarten and so far, he's still my baby! A very smart baby, but still my baby and he still likes to need his mom! I need to keep it that way mentally for while!
This week the king is working away from home and days like today remind me how much I like having him around! I like that he takes over the early morning duties of the castle such as taking the princess to school, feeding and walking the royal hounds, making breakfast for the princes, Saturday morning violin classes.... This week I get to take over his duties and I'm not sure I like this turn of events... !? Anyway, I want the king home!
This Queen teaches preschool every day in her private school. I love the kids in my class.. I have a small class this year. I take a maximum of 6 three and four year olds. I have 3 students now, all boys and lots of fun! I am a den leader for cub scouts (prince 1 is a bear scout) and we meet once a week. Homework is going to be the end of me ... the princes do not like to write anything and the Queen does not like monthly projects! I forgot kindergarten has monthly projects due... ARRRGH!
So now you've met the royal family! We'll see what tomorrow brings! I have to go to sleep so I can get up earlier than I have in years!
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