They Said WHAT???

Tuesday Tidbits

• Released from Jury Duty. I was hoping to be on a case, but got dismissed for the week. The case that had duty has to report back in June...so thankful that wasn't me because I have BIG plans in June.

• Took a peek into my daughter's My Space Page last night. Some of her friend's status updates were AWFUL. One girl was saying "Oh No...the condom broke!" and one stated her mood as being "F&*$@!!" I about had a coronary! I asked who these people were and she just said it was some 8th graders at her school. In my opinion they should not be her friends...(she is in 6th grade). I will look at this more carefully tonight and look into what she is talking about. In a positive note, she was nominated for National Junior Honor Society....Yeah to my smart girl!

• Who looks up another person's running times? I usually look up my own or people I am competing with, but virtual strangers...not so much. I went to the Y and did a boot camp class and this guy in my class says.."Hey Tammy, you must not of run that race, I couldn't find your time." I felt like I was being stalked or something. This is the same guy who always wants to beat me in everything or makes up excuses why he didn't. In which I lapped him numerous times last night! Even finished my laps and running the stairs before he even started!! So there Mr. eat my dust!! hahaha

***Tomorrow is April Fool's Day....my students are revved up for this...Thank God it is a half day tomorrow or the spider on the shoulder might get old FAST!!**** I am thinking about tricking them...I have crutches and I may just try to say I broke my leg or something!! Let's see if they believe me!!

Order in the Court!!

Typical Monday is getting up and going to teach second graders. Today was a different day. I had to report to the courts at 8:15 am instead. I was summoned a couple weeks back for Jury Duty.

You get there and you check in. You watch a video about how great it is to serve and how to do it, etc., etc. I found out there were a couple things going on in the courts today and I was actually excited about MAYBE being called to go to the courtroom and serve on jury. Maybe it would like Law and Order...who knows!!

There is an awful lot of waiting that goes on. So around 9:45 or so a court employee comes in the room and reads off approx. 30 names to go upstairs and possibly be on a jury. Guess what? I WASN'T called. I was a bit disappointed because I thought what a great experience. Apparently there is another deliberation going on and just maybe the rest of us in the room may get to go to the next case.

More waiting... and waiting....and waiting. At least I brought New Moon with me and read and read and read for 3 hours today.

Around 11:30 am we were dismissed for the day. They settled the case no jurors needed. I need to call each day this week and my civic duty will be done. Until another time I guess. I do hope something is going on, but the court employee said looks like there will be nothing else for the week. But you must call in, you never know.

It would of been a great rest of the day, but the kids had a half day of school. I don't mind, but it would of been cool to have the afternoon to myself.

Back to School tomorrow or Maybe not...I'll make the call and find out if my number came up.

What Should of Been....

This WAS the weekend of the SHAMROCK SHUFFLE in Chicago. I went to pick up my stuff yesterday. My timing chip, bib number, and nylon drawstring bag. I was excited for this race for 2 months. It is a large race and draws tons and tons of people....32,500 to be exact. I looked at my bib number and realized I was close to the cut off point. So lucky to get in! Looking forward to running through the streets of Chicago, the people, the adreline that would be pumping through my body. The party afterwards...this weekend was the weekend of all weekends.

It however DID NOT WORK OUT LIKE I wanted it too.

My bib number has no wrinkles, my timing chip is still in the bag, and my free beer coupon is still attached to my number. Why oh Why didn't I run????

THIS IS WHY I DIDN'T RUN!!!! This is what it looked like out my sister's place around 8:00 am this morning. Hubby and I didn't want to take a chance and break something or whatever. The weather conditions were brutal. By the looks of the news broadcast this morning, the turn out didn't look record breaking...there were people running, but not like there should of been. Plus I was missing too. I WILL sign up next year!! I WILL run it no matter what! My next race is April 25th...it's got be better than this.

Hubby's truck all snow covered.

Would you run in this? Or am I a wimp!? I felt like crap so I came home, went to the Y and ran there. I decided that I would pretend I was running the Shuffle. I even created a playlist just for today. It wasn't the same, but I still worked out and ran and ran!

In Like A Lion and Out Too!

The Shamrock Shuffle 8K race is this weekend in Chicago. My hubby and I are going to rock the race spite the horrible weather forecast. I was hoping for maybe a 50 degree weather day, but that isn't going to happen. The outlook is for 30s and snow flurries. I AM going to finish STRONG! I am going to work on my playlist tonight...I am looking for some new music to download. So, if you have some good ideas for music or songs that really pump you up, let me know!

I AM NOT going to force my daughter to do summer camp. We came up with another plan. After talking it over with hubby and reading some of your suggestions, I decided on doing some alternative things with her instead. I hope it is the right decision.

I wish I would of taken and posted of picture of Emma this morning. She looked so darn cute, minus the shoes she HAD to wear. She had the cutest skinny jeans on with this pink top that was a little long so it make the jeans look so darn cute. She had pink polka dot socks on with her CLICKY WEDDING SHOES. What do I mean by that...the shoes she wore in my sister's wedding. They are silvery, clear sandals, and she loves the sound they make and she HAD to wear them. I packed her another pair in her backpack just in case the clicky noise drove the teacher INSANE!! Gotta love my EG she is so funny.

Brandon Where Did the Time Go?

Ten years ago today you were born. I can't believe how time has flown by. You are such a big guy. You are funny, smart, and handsome. You make me smile everyday. Your personality is so wonderful and you will be grow to be a great young man. I love you buddy. Happy 10th Birthday! I know he needs to add some meat to his bones. He picked Buffalo Wild Wings for his birthday dinner. He ate 10 wings! If I ate like that I sure wouldn't see my ribs. :) Which reminds he, the other night he sat down and ate a full bag of Jalapeno flavored Tostitoes.

Thanks Mom and Dad for my new game. I wanted that sooooo soooo bad!

My number 1 Brewer Fan! B Boy Brando! :)

Help! I Need Help! The Drama...

"I can't wait until I turn 13, I won't be a kid anymore." That is direct from the mouth of my 12-year old daughter. After she said that I am thinking really? Not a kid? I thought that was quite funny. I think this whole thing stems from me putting my foot down about my expectations of the upcoming summer.

She comes home after school yesterday and reports to me that she has a note for me, but she is not interested because it takes up too much of her time and she won't be able to sleep in this summer and it would just ruin everything.

I take the note and it is about being involved in summer band. Practice would be 3 days a week from 9am-noon (summer practice), 1 day a week starting in April after school, and a few evening concerts during the summer months at local parks and band shells. You would of thought I was about to sign her up for prison or something. The drama that started...the crying....the I am NOT going to do it and you CAN'T make me. BLAH BLAH BLAH.....

Now, I don't want to be the parent that forces their child into doing something they don't want to do, but I know she loves playing the flute. She is always playing it and even tells me she is looking forward to next school year to be part of band again. I think this whole thing revolves around control and what she thinks. Or the fact that she wants to waste her days sleeping or her nights being on MY SPACE until who knows what time.

I gave her a couple options:

1. Sign up for Continental Band and suck it up!!

OR

2. You will go to a 1 week overnight camp. (That choice would probally stress her out)

I also told her to think of some good reasons why she shouldn't do the summer band, and her only thing was I can't sleep in.

Am I being too hard on her? Should I make her do one or the other? Will this force her to rebel? HELP! I am new to this almost teenager thing.

The Day Has Arrived

If some of you read my blog this week, it was birthday week. I went out on St. Patty's Day, did some shopping, went out to dinner, and spent time with family and friends. It was a nice way to say good-bye to 40 and hello to 41. It's not all that different, except now I am in my forties, not approaching or at forty, in my forties. As my husband pointed out I am in the best shape ever and I take care of myself.

Alyssa made the cake, made frosting, and used sprinkles for the Happy Birthday.

In fact I ran 5 miles this morning with my husband. Next Sunday, we are doing the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago. It is an 8K. I am awfully excited to do that race. I have goals this year, just like last, but now I need to improve on times and push myself harder and compete just a little more.

Thanks to my wonderful family for making me a cake, Alyssa playing Happy Birthday on the flute, and letting me pick my lunch date today. The weather was a sunny day! Cheers to another great year!

Brandon will be 10 this week. He is so excited to celebrate his day too!

Emma sitting on the counter....we always have to tell her to get off all the time. She must still feel like the shorty in the family.

Hubby and I out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse. It was real good and so was he for not telling the wait staff it was my birthday...they have a saddle you sit on while everyone hoots and hollers..so thanks hubby for not embarrassing me last night.

Cheers to Green Beer

Wouldn't of imagined that I would of went out on St. Patty's Day, but I did. If it falls on a weekend, I like to go out and tip a few back, but on a school night? I would of never thought. It was PACKED!! Our town opened up a new Irish Pub right on Lake Michigan and it was so crowded I thought it was a Friday night. It was wall to wall people drinking, eating corned beef, wearing green, collecting as many green necklaces as you could get. It was just me and hubby. We ran into someone we knew and hung out with him. We left that pub because I was getting knocked around from being so crowded. We headed over to a different place, it wasn't crowded at first, but then ....



Some guy walked in and it was a blast from the past. Someone I went to grade school with and his brother. No big deal, except I taught his brother when he was 6 years old. He is now 23! I felt so old!! He was telling me things about what he remembered from being in my classroom as a first grader. It was from my first teaching job at a Catholic school. I now work in the public schools and have been at this school for 14 1/2 years. Yikes that sounds old! :0



Great night...was home by ten...asleep by 10:30. It is birthday week...I am allowed to do things that I normally wouldn't do.

Signs of Spring

How can I tell Spring has arrived in Wisconsin.

• The snow has melted, but a few "black" piles remain in the ditches and parking lots.
• The robins have come back.
• I can hang laundry outside to dry. ( I did this weekend)
• It is light out past 7:00.
• I can wear short sleeves, no socks, and bermudas to bed.
• I see people in flip-flops and shorts. ( Now for me it has to be a lot warmer than 55 degrees to make me do that, but around here 55 is like 80 after months of below freezing temps)
• Buds are forming on trees.
• Easter is around the corner.
• I can pull out my Spring wardrobe and feel refreshed and new.
• I need a tan like no other. My legs are ashy....thank goodness for self tanners.
• Last but not least......IT IS BIRTHDAY WEEK!!

Happy Spring! I know that in Wisconsin there will be some snow again and some yucky weather, but I know that it won't last and it is that much closer to summer. I counted...55 days left of school!!! WOO HOO!

What Did you Watch Last Night

I wasn't sure about watching this season's American Idol, but I thought last night was great. I have my favorites.

• Danny~ I think he has a good voice and seems to be a real nice guy. Plus he is from Milwaukee( I live about 30 South of Milwaukee)!
• Alexis~ The judges didn't have a lot to say about her performance, but I loved how she sang "Dirty Diana!" I also love her pink highlights ( mine will be coming this summer)
• Kris~ Didn't realize he was on the show until last night...he was good.
• Matt~ The dualing piano singer guy....loved his performance last night. Plus he is a cute guy.
• Lil~ She is well put together. She sang well. Simon hated her outfit. So funny because Alyssa was ripping on it too. I told her I would wear that outfit when her friends were around. I almost had her believing me. haha

I thought overall the show was good. The parts that were a bit weird to watch were Anoop and Jorge. I predict they will be going home. I think Megan is a beautiful girl, but the song she sang last night was a bit weird. I felt like I was at a 50s diner watching a lunch time performance.

I do like Kara the judge they added this season. She speaks clear. However, listening to Paula is like OMG what will she say this time. My favorite is Simon. There is something about him that I really like. I think it is his smile and white teeth. Randy is you know "yoyo dawg!"

What do you all think so far? Watching or Not? Who are your favorite's?

Lazy or Not...

I think tweens are a lot like newborns in some sense because you need to have patience, understanding ( expression is sometimes a guessing game), and wonder why all of a sudden they can't sleep anymore???

For the last 2 nights A is having the hardest time sleeping. She comes in our room around 11:00 pm and says to us " I can't sleep." I try to be patient and say relax, close your eyes, and if that doesn't help read a book to help calm you. A little while later she comes back up and says "I can't sleep, I have a headache." I tell her to go and take something. I must of been half asleep because I realized that I just told my 12 year old to take care of herself, get some ibuprofen and go back to sleep. If that were my newborn, I would actually of gotten out of bed to do all of these things.

This morning I walk out of my room to get some coffee and as I was turning on some lights, I realized she was sleeping on the couch. I don't even remember telling her to do that, but apparently I did so that if she did need something I wouldn't have to walk ALL the way to her room. I even asked her if she took the right amount of Ibuprofen. She did...phew...I was sort of thinking she could of taken some men's vitamin or something else in the cabinet especially now since she has started swallowing pills. I had to do that...the liquid bottles were going down like water...2 doses and done. Much easier...

Is that being a bad Mom? I didn't even get out of bed to help her. She is a responsible girl. Now, if that were my other 2 kids...Yes I would of got up to help. I feel kind of bad that I didn't help her and made her take care of herself. I was so cozy in my bed I didn't want to get out of it. However, if she were puking and feverish, I would of helped. I don't want her to feel like I don't care because I do, but I think all of this sleep stuff is happening because of the time change and she did have a sleepover on Saturday night and she did stay up until 3 am and slept so late on Sunday that no wonder she wasn't tired. Then Monday night comes and now I have a headache because I couldn't sleep. ( You see, I am just trying to talk myself into that I AM NOT A BAD MOM.)

***Side note*** I lapped him last night at the gym...so there! I even rubbed it in, in a way that didn't seem mean. Of course there was all kinds of excuses. I haven't lost it after all!

Triple Threat

Irritable, Frustrated, and just plain bitched up. That about sums up what I am feeling and thinking today. Must be the clouds, weather, and the fact that I am approaching my birthday...again. (Why do the years seem to fly by?)

Why irritable? On my way to work this morning...hoping that my cell doesn't ring because that usually means my kids are calling me for some dumb reason. It is never an emergency. Aww hell the phone is ringing and they are announcing a great concert on the radio....shhhh phone I don't want to miss the details of where this nostalgic concert will be and OMG I have to go that concert. I answer the phone just in case it is an emergency...it's not. "Mom, I don't want to wear my coat to school today. Can I wear a hoodie?" "Brandon it is 38 degrees outside...you need to wear your coat. I know the forecast says it is suppose to be near 50 degrees, but YOU NEED TO WEAR A COAT!! I am not asking you to bundle up like you are in the frozen tundra." I hang up bummed that I missed where this concert will be. Within a minute Emma is now calling me. WTF people "Mom, Alyssa is only wearing a vest today. I want to wear my vest too" Me..."Emma, Alyssa doesn't have outside recess like you, please wear your coat." She proceeds to beg and whine about wanting to wear her vest. I'm not sure what she ended up going to school in, but I hope she had some sort of coat on. Tonight we will have a chat about expectations and NOT calling me for these reasons. Hell, I don't want to miss my me time and radio. lol

Why Frustrated? Same reasons as above, but at school where I teach I have kids only wearing hoodies to school. I feel terrible sending them out to recess when it is 40 degrees out and they don't have a coat. They think just because it is March (Spring season in a couple weeks) it means let's break out the summer wardrobe and wear flip flops. We live in Wisconsin! It doesn't get warm around here for months! We may have nice days here and there, but not nice enough to not wear coats or even dress in layers. I send them out because hey...I am not their parents and I wouldn't want anyone to be ticked at me for trying to parent their child.

Why Bitched Up? Because last night when running this guy who has been wanting to beat me finally did!! What the hell I ask myself? Why did this guy find it okay to say Thanks to me after he beat me in a sprint around the track. He tells me that he thought he would never beat me and hell he did. So now I am going to do everything I can for that not to EVER happen again.

I will blame last night's mishap on the fact that it was my 6th day in a row working out, I had Girl Scout Cookies, ate dinner right before class, and I just finished my cycle. That's why...not because he is faster than me.

About my birthday...it seems like I just turned 40 why does 41 have to come so soon?

The concert that I HAVE to go to is Def Leppard, Poison, and Cheap Trick. Maybe that way I can relive the 80s all over again! Or this time around I will REMEMBER the concert because the first time I saw them back in 1988 I really don't remember much!! No...it's not dementia either.

Nets and Noodles

Nets/Noodles is an annual event at our school. It is a fundraiser with food, raffles, auctions, and a community basketball game. The basketball teams are our school staff members vs The SL Fire Dept. Last year we got just killed. They beat us by a lot. First of all their team is made up of all men and our team has a mix of men and women. They also were out for blood or to prove that they will NBA ready or something. This year we said it had to be a much friendlier game and add some silliness too.
An introduction of our team...we had 10 players this year. Some of the people who played last year were busy and some happened to get the flu that day. So 10 we are. Nice picture...uggghh..We even had cheerleaders!

In action.....

In for the rebound (see all those young boys...I taught some of them when they were in 1st and second grade and now they are in their 20s) It made me feel old or maybe they were being nice to me(letting me get the rebound) because I was their teacher at one point and guess what? I scored 1 basket for our team that night. YEAH!!

I was truly scared of being knocked over by these boys. Some were men too. This one guy was a little serious and was pushing me around and pounced on my foot. He probally weighed at least 100 pounds more than me. Who knows.... The silliness was putting wigs on, using a football, hula hooping, etc.

It was a fun night. My family came to watch their wife and mom play a sport that I really am not good at. Thanks to hubby for taking care of the camera and taking tons of photos.

This year the teachers won the game. The final score was 55 to 50.