Indigo Robe

My Photo
Name:
Location: United States

Mum likes reading, decorating, shopping with the girls, and Starbucks. She also feels funny writing in the 3rd person. Papa (also known as Sparky) is currently looking at me with a blank stare having asked him to add something about himself to the blog. (Now he wants to say something) The only thing he loves more in life than music and Coke is his wife and kids. (Awww...) :) Little Lotte is a genius on the computer and makes me fall over laughing every day with her quick wit. She loves computers and animals. Sweet Pea abandoned her family and moved to Phoenix for work and is now married as of 2/28/06. She is beautiful and smart and the most nurturing person I know. She gave me the greatest gift ever when she made me a grandmother. I am the proud Mum Mum to Andrew Christopher. There are no words to describe the joy of having a grandson!

Monday, July 30, 2007

Balancing Act...


Today we enjoyed a celebration in my district. Our superintendent has been with us for 20 years. We always take a day right as school begins and celebrate our past year's accomplishments and get excited about the coming year. Here is Mr. Baker with his granddaughter. He said it's a family tradition that they do that teaches trust. You should have heard the ohhh's and ahhhh's in the audience. It was a pretty amazing sight! I am so glad I brought my camera.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Birthday Week



This card is the best ever! Sweet Pea knows I love THAT GIRL (a tv show from long ago) and found this great card. When you open it you can hear the theme song from the show. And so began people remembering my birthday. I honestly cannot tell you another time in my life when so many people were so generous and loving for my day. You would have thought this was a milestone birthday!

What an incredible week! So much to tell here (for me so I can remember in my old age!) so I will start with last weekend. As you already read about, it was a weekend in Phoenix. I mentioned that I went shopping. I would much rather buy myself some little presents on a shopping spree than be surprised with something big or expensive. So Sparky was an absolute doll and accompanied me on my spree. I have not pictured the incredible black patent shoes I bought to go with this outfit. I wore them this week and I had duty. I must have had a hundred little girls stop me to tell me how beautiful my shoes were and how pretty I looked. I was all of a sudden feeling like a princess and the popular 2nd grader. It was hysterical! I will take a picture of them soon. IN the meantime, here is my bounty from my spree.



Then it was the beginning of birthday WEEK! I don't have the picture on this computer (it's on Little L's) so I will have to post that one later but my friend, the Art teacher, started by giving me little gifts each day. On Monday I received a little pink package of clementines (small tangerines with no seeds), on Tueday I was gifted with a silver package with a pink bow - the insides filled with chocolate!, on Wednesday it was a Paula Deen magazine!!!, on Thursday I was given a magnet with a tiara that says PRINCESS and on Friday I got a BAG FULL OF GOODIES! There was a glass eiffel tower, a bookmark with the EIffel Tower that says Bonjour, a book about discovering my inner french girl, a rubber stamp of the Eiffel Tower, and a gorgeous card of the tower lit up at night. On the inside she wrote: To a Kindred Spirit. We both agree that France rocks (she's been there 3 times) and we both say that if we were to go today, we would never come back. (We would take our familes, of course!)

Another co worker gave me lots of chocolate bars and a sweet note. I think I already mentioned that I got a beautiful bracelet from Sweet Pea's inlaws that is pictured here and Sweet Pea and Mr. Sweet Pea bought me TOILE JAMMIES!!!!!!! (OOHHHH SO MUCH LOVE!) and a gift certificate to my favorite SPA!!!! Gadabout. Un be freakin lievable! TOO Much Birthday fun!








Then on Friday at lunch I had a HUGE chocolate cake that said Happy Birthday and a bouquet of flowers - all from my podmates. Unfortunately, there must have been something in the cake that I was allergic to as I had a reaction immediately after digesting the cake. This was a big one, requiring 2 allegra and an epi-pen stick as well as some not so cute paramedics. The epi-pen did the trick and I was fine in less than 5 minutes after the stick. I was NOT going to hospital as this was the beginning of my birthday WEEKEND! Ain't no one keeping a sister down.

I went home (everyone teased me that it was my way of getting out of teaching 1st graders that afternoon) and rested for a few hours and then it was time to party some more. I met my friends (co-workers) from my current school and my "home" school. That was a blast! I've never had happy hour with BOTH groups of women before. I enjoyed a diet pepsi and some chips and salsa while they bestowed MORE PRESENTS on me! I cannot believe the amount of gifts this year! I scored a journal, a gift card from Borders, a GRANDMA's photo album, a coupon for a latte and biscotti and a night at the casino! (Which they took me to immediately following happy hour!) It was crazy fun!!!!!!



The infamous TOILE JAMMIES!!!!



I will continue the rest of the birthday story in the next post as this is already much too long. Enjoy the photos!

Saturday, July 28, 2007

The Announcement






I promised I would tell the story of Sweet Pea telling me she was going to have a baby. Looks like I finally have a few minutes in the midst of birthday celebrations to write.

We went to visit Sweet Pea and Mr. Sweet Pea last weekend to celebrate my birthday a week early. We went early because of the Hallowed Harry Party Happening! So Sweet Pea and Little L got to enjoy their last midnight release of a Harry Potter book, costumes and all! While they did that, Sparky and I had a little dinner and some quiet time. I woke up the next morning, knowing that Sweet Pea had to work, and spent a few minutes with her before she whisked Little L off to the newest Harry Potter movie. Then she was off to work and we were off to shop. That evening we relaxed, reading, enjoying the house while Sweet Pea and Mr. Sweet Pea were at work. Sunday arrived and my celebration with it. Sweet Pea came in to the room and apologized that Mr. Sweet Pea had invited his parents over because he forgot it was to be my birthday dinner. She didn't need to apologize as I do adore his family but what a guy thing to do! I felt bad that they would have to sit there and watch me open presents when we haven't gotten to that stage of in-lawness yet where we celebrate each other's birthdays!

Still - no biggie. We will just have extra family at the dinner and I still have the day with Sweet Pea! We decide on dinner and make a grocery store run. I take Sweet Pea to the In-N-Out to sit for a soda. I have not had a moment to sit alone and talk all weekend so I am looking forward to 15 minutes with her. I look into her face as she is talking, seeing eyes that look very familiar - a mask of pregnancy. But I say NOT a word. I don't want to say anything because I am considered the nut of the family and also, if she is not pregnant, it's kind of an insensitive presumtion to make. But I remember in my heart SO CLEARLY the moment. I just looked into her eyes and she looked away with a smile, speaking whatever words she was saying. I cannot remember the words. I remember no sounds. I just remember her face.

Anyway, we get back to the house and I am using a very good knife to cut the potatoes and I can't stand it anymore. I ask her when she had her period last. (We are close, this is not an odd conversation for us) I knew that they were thinking about babies but she never really said they were trying. She hesitated and said something to which I matter of factly replied that she was incorrect. How funny! I am telling her that she is wrong about when she last had her period! That should have clued me but I was worrying about cutting off my fingers!

Suddenly, she mumbles and states she has to go wake up Mr. Sweet Pea for work. Whatever, I am just trying to concentrate on the cutting action happening on the board.

Well, dinner time came and his family arrived and there were hugs and kisses all around. His parents bought me a GORGEOUS Brighton bracelet. (I have pics - must post with the birthday pics of all the presents I got.) And then...

Sweet Pea walks over to me and hands me a box. She explains that there is an important present. (They all are!) tee hee....

So I open the box. I remember this clearly too...

I pulled out a beautiful brushed silver frame with little hearts. How I love picture frames! I spend a lot of money on buying them. They proudly display my family photos. I always told Sweet Pea that it would be a great way to tell someone they were going to be a dad or even a grandmom - buy a frame that says Grandma and give it to them and that's how you would know. This was years ago though that we had this conversation.

As I lifted the frame further out of the box, I see writing at the bottom...

Grandkids...

I dropped the frame into the box (gently, sort of) and felt my body react with such joy! I went to hug her and Mr. Sweet Pea said to her "Tell everyone!" She said she couldn't speak and melted into my arms, tears of joy streaming down both of our faces!

I didn't know that his family had been invited for this and that they didn't know ahead of time! They found out when Mr. Sweet Pea finally said, "We're pregnant!" (They couldn't see the frame and had no idea of the story!) It was SO SPECIAL!!!!

Later I teased Sweet Pea that she was trying to tell me she was having twins since it said Grandkids... but it turns out that she just couldn't find a frame that said Grandparents. (???? Have I failed in the most important duty of a mother? Teaching her WHERE to shop?) I feel badly cause she probably paid and arm and a leg for it at a frame shop. (Ross!!!!!!!!!!!) (Michael's!!!!!!!!) I feel like I should reimburse her for the cost. (giggle)

So that is the story of how it all happened. She explained at dinner that she couldn't believe I was asking her about her period an hour before she wanted to tell us. Not because of the subject but because she CANNOT lie to me. Never has been able to. She loves and respects me too much. She said she had to run out of the room and go tell Mr. Sweet Pea what I had just said! She was worried she would blurt it out if she stayed in the room with me! :-)

At dinner, we were all funny. We would speak in spurts and then it would go quiet. You could see everyone trying to take in this incredibly wonderful news. (This is the first grandbaby for his family, too!)

I finally spoke up during a quiet moment.

"Think about this! In one year, when we are all gathered again for dinner, there will be a little 3 month old sitting with us!"

Everyone just kind of laughed or took in a deep, excited breath. Sweet Pea had a wide eyed, happy look and yet at the same time, a HOLY CRAP! look on her face. It was precious!

As we were leaving, Mr. Pea's dad shared an hair - raising experience he had just the day before. He said he was walking around the commisary when a little blond haired boy, about 3 years old, walked up to him and said, "Hi, Grandpa!" He just looked at him and smiled and the little boy again said, "I love you Grandpa!" and then he walked away with his mom.

Blessings. Sprinkled with blessings.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

pictures from last weekend still to come...(or how Sweet Pea broke the GREAT news to me!)

in the meantime...

You Communicate With Your Body

This isn't as bad as it sounds, it just means that you're a "touchy-feely" person.
You need a lot of affection in your life. And for you, this means both giving and receiving little touches.
Warm hearted, you bond with people easily. In fact, you often feel a little sad when you're not in the company of others.
A little moody, you tend to be controlled by your emotions. But a bit hug always comforts you!

Monday, July 23, 2007

What is old and happy and smiles all day long?


ME!

Why you ask?


I am about to become a GRANDMOTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I am still in a state of shock! Photos and details to come.

In the meantime, Sweet Pea and Mr. Sweet Pea are beyond happy - and this is the first grandbaby on all sides as well as the first great grandbaby for Sparky's mom and dad.

It's left me speechless and in a sort of happy daze. I keep thinking about how quickly the years go by.

What wonderful news!!! As I said, more details (they are good!!!) to come with a few photos.

Right now, I just need to catch my breath!

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Freaky Thursday and Friday



Last night we had some heavy winds and rains sweep through our end of town. I happened to be on the way home from getting my haircut and not wanting to be in danger, I felt it best to duck into some stores to wait. (Work with me here) Thank goodness there was a shoe store and a Ross right where the storm looked like it might hit. :-)

Anywho... I walk into Ross and enjoy a little solitary shopping and decide to try on a few skirts. I take my selections to the dressing room and the young lady hands me the number card. I thank her and she mentions that I look familiar. I explain that I often come into the store so maybe she has seen me there. No, she says... I remind her of a teacher she had. I tell her I am a teacher! She asks were I teach and, of course, it's the school she attended. I ask her name. Wow... she was one of my 4th grade students! I remembered her name but she looked a lot different. And then she said:

"I am 20 now!"

Ouch. I was speechless. I am old enough to have former students help me with my purchases in a store in which they are employed.

Freaky.


I kind of wondered around aimlessly, unable to shake off the "wow I am getting old" feeling.

And then, to further that feeling, I had a cute little first grader tell me her name and in the same breath, explain that I was wearing shoes just like her grandma's!!!

Sparky said yeah but her grandma is probably only 40.

Uhuh.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

5th grader

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

I Got Nothin'

No funny stories about 1st graders, no fights among teachers. It's a pretty quiet first week back to school. So instead, I will post my Seen on Saturday Series pics of our Swirls. (GET IT? The alliteration slays me! See? Seen on Saturday? And then we did Swirls and I already posted the Sunset and Saguaros! Sigh... So silly...) :-)

The food ones (taken inside the store) are bad because I rushed. I always worry taking pictures inside a store that they are going to approach us and ask us to leave or arrest us for being terrorists.

I also threw in a picture of another "S" word - sweethearts! :-)














Tuesday, July 17, 2007

I do actually have a pumpkin pie in the fridge right now...

Your Scent is Pumpkin Pie

Warm, comforting, and a bit old fashioned
You've got what men want - believe it or not!

you are blueviolet
#8A2BE2

Your dominant hues are blue and magenta. You're the one who goes to all the parties but doesn't quite fit in at every one... you know what you want, but are afraid of what the world might think of it. You're a little different and that's okay with them, and if you're smart it's okay with you too.

Your saturation level is higher than average - You know what you want, but sometimes know not to tell everyone. You value accomplishments and know you can get the job done, so don't be afraid to run out and make things happen.

Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.
the spacefem.com html color quiz

Monday, July 16, 2007

Old picture... new school year!


Today was the first day back for the kiddos. Usually I take a Tylenol PM on the night before school begins again because I toss and turn all night. I toss and turn all night because I obsess over the first day, knowing I have to be "on" for the whole day after having spent 6 weeks doing nothing more intellectual than reading the directions on a box of pudding.

But I was really calm about today so I didn't take that Tylenol PM. Unfortunately, I tossed and turned all night. Fortunately, it was because I was actually EXCITED about going back to work. I guess the transitions of a new school are behind me and I know all 623 kids and they know me. So I was really looking forward to getting back to them.

The picture here (I think this is from 1999) is funny to me. I think my smile looks a little forced. Like I just got done giving the evil eye to the kid in the front row (in the white shirt on the left) who is trying to look at his brain with his eyes rolled up in his head. (Click to enlarge the photo,it's hysterical!) But I absolutely LOVED teaching 4th grade. I just love that age group for teaching. Sadly, because of NCLB, the joy of teaching had been taken away from both teachers and students. I won't get into testing/accountability issues. Of course I am not stupid enough to think we don't need tests and accountability but the way we have gone about it... ANYWAY, let me stop right now as I am getting away from my original thoughts for the post...This teaching gig is great but only because I am a specialist.

It was a great day. Pure and simple. I love my co-workers and I love the students. Even the 1st graders. (Ha, just keep reading and see how this mood changes as the year moves on!)

My smile wasn't forced today. It was so amazing to see how much these students have grown in 6 short weeks! It's fun to watch their faces light up when they see me, a familiar face, in an otherwise uneasy first day with new classmates and teachers. All the boys had short haircuts and all the girls had new shoes that they couldn't wait to show me. (I had playground duty this am so I got to see LOTS of new shoes!)

If I had to be in the classroom with only one class, it would be much more difficult. Don't get me wrong - there are tradeoffs to being a specialist. I don't have the one on one bond with 25 students but I also don't have 25 parent/teacher conferences and daily phone calls. I miss the variety in the day but I don't miss planning 36 lessons per week. Now I plan 5 lessons for writing for grades K - 5th. I LOVE teaching writing! I love gaining their trust and pushing them to write more than they ever thought they could. And by more, I mean deeper. I hope I can share some of the sublime and silly in my blog this year, as I did last year.

And next year? I am buying a new pair of shoes for the first day so I can show off too!

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Saturday Scenes


Sparky and I have this new favorite way to spend a Saturday. We pick an idea or object and take pictures and,of course, we have a little friendly competition. Last week we went to a swanky mall around here (the outdoor one) and took pictures of swirls. They came out beautifully but being back to school, I never got around to putting them here. I'll try to post them this week yet.













Today, we went for a drive and decided to do Saguaros and the sunset. It was hot but it was so wonderful to be doing something fun with Sparky and getting to talk. When we came home, I found I had taken 312 photos! I am only going to show you a few of the best. Here are some results of our Saturday. I can't wait to see Sparky's!



Wednesday, July 11, 2007

M.I.A.



I've been back to work for two days - no kiddos yet, just work days and two in-service days coming up. That means the blogging slows down until I get back into my groove.

In the meantime, my niece posted a video about some national bingo night thingy. It reminded me of a story that I HAVE to share with you.

I went to the casino with my teacher friends. There were 4 of us. We were so clueless, we asked if we could share the blotter thingy. (They don't use chips to cover the #'s anymore, they use an ink thingy, did you know that?!) They are only a buck. The cashier just looked at us like we were nuts. We broke down and each shelled out a dollar and then she handed us this enormous sheet of bingo cards. Oh man.




As we enter the room we realize we are the youngest ones there. And we are all in our late 40's and 50's. So we sit down and they begin and we are just out of our element. There is a lady sitting near us with her plate of food and her little lucky dolls lined up on the top of her 3,000 bingo cards. She tries to help us as the game moves InCREDIBLY fast.

I excitedly whisper to my friend that I think I have a BINGO! and she says to yell. So I did! I yelled BINGO! And of course this made the whole room stop. The whoosing sound of the machine stops. The room grows silent after several groans and ALL EYES ARE ON ME. And I have to say the #'s outloud! REALLY LOUD! And I say them and stop, sitting with this wide grin on my face. Booyah, you old bats! I just scored me some moolah!!!



And when I stopped, an attendant came rushing over, looking at my card. Suddenly she yells out to the caller:

"She doesn't have double BINGO! It's only a single!"

Oh my goodness. I thought I was going to get pelted with lucky rabbit's foot keychains. Those old ladies were absolutely DISGUSTED with me that I didn't know it was a DOUBLE BINGO! Round. They rolled their eyes as my teacher friends rolled out of their chairs laughing at me. I thought they were going to kick me out of the bingo! room.

Slinky back into my chair, I continued to play but only half-heartedly. I knew that even if I did get a BINGO! I wouldn't dare call out to let them know.

My friends were great, too. We laughed and laughed (thank goodness I am the kind of person who can laugh at herself!) and they love it when I yell out BINGO! randomly now when we are together.

All I know is I have a new respect for the quick moving, nimble minded, troll doll loving, BINGO! playing little old ladies!

Saturday, July 07, 2007

7/7/07 The Lucky Day!



Sparky came home with the most beautiful pink roses for me on Thursday. I asked why and he said it's because he knows it's a tough time for me right now and I put up with him. (He actually said "Because you are menopausal and you put up with me" but I didn't want you to think he was a pig. We've been discussing the "M" word a lot lately. He didn't mean it accusingly, he meant that he knows it's a tough time.)

He was actually half right. Perimenopause (I refuse to believe it's the actual menopause) has been visiting our home. But far from me putting up with Sparky, it is quite the opposite. He is definitely the one putting up with me.

Here is a list of symptoms: (All 35)

Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
Irregular heart beat
Irritability
Mood swings, sudden tears
Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles
Loss of libido
Dry vagina
Crashing fatigue
Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
Disturbing memory lapses
Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
Itchy, crawly skin
Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
Increased tension in muscles
Breast tenderness
Headache change: increase or decrease
Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
Sudden bouts of bloat
Depression
Exacerbation of existing conditions
Increase in allergies
Weight gain
Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
Changes in body odor
Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
Tingling in the extremities
Gum problems, increased bleeding
Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
Osteoporosis (after several years)
Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing,' buzzing etc.

I may or may not have had nearly ALL 35!!!!!!! in the past year.

Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling? This is the newest visitor to our home.

# of "power surges" on Thursday: 15.
# on Friday: 3.

I'm thinking of having a counter added to my blog so I can list the number per day.

All of the others? - well reading the list of symptoms made me feel like there was a man in a lab coat following me around as he put pencil to pad to record my life, thus creating this list.

If this list were a Keno card, and I had a # for every symptom I have, we would be so so rich.

Hope today is lucky for you!