Soccer Season

So soccer fans--I hope you are geared up 'cause it is officially soccer season. I am signed up as an administrator on duty for all of Chris's home games, which is a good deal for both of us, as I get to see him and watch the games AND I don't have duty for things like basketball (hate it) or baseball (yawn). I do have a prime seat this year. The pressbox! It is not only warm and cozy up here, but there is freaking INTERNET! So, I'm here, with my laptop, watching the game. I worked on school work for the JV game and now have time for, you guessed it--BLOGGING! Ahh...the joys of technology.

Additionally, my mother in law Megan has been so great and is watching Ryan during all of these games, which is truly a great help--thanks, Megan!

On another note, one of Megan's good friends who owns Jim-n-i in downtown Bryan (get down there girls, it's good stuff at good prices!) told me about this photographer who takes AMAZING photos and gives classes so you can too! I'm going tomorrow for a class in art. I'll let you guys know how it goes! It is supposed to be an overnight deal, but with the game, I'm missing half of it (bummer). Oh, hey.....awww...nearly a goal for the Tigers! So anyway, let me tell you a little about my day:

1. checked my calendar, saw just one meeting at 3pm and the soccer games tonight. Hooray!
2. made a list of about 12 things I really needed to get done today since I should have time for them.
3. went out to duty before school
4. came back to my office to make passes for students for 2nd period, did 1st thing on my list (getting together Sat. d-hall list for tomorrow), answered emails for school, sighed happily because I just knew it was going to be a great day.
5. Go out to duty for 2nd period--student spits from 2nd floor to first, walk him to office, start to look up the footage since girls said it hit them
6. Day starts to fall apart: teacher comes in very upset at another teacher, I see a few students, folders start to pile up for phone calls home, I get pulled into a surprise meeting, etc.
7. I see a few kids 3rd period and hope I can get back on track.
8. Lunch--my day is shot. I spend the rest of the day with searching for drugs, sending students to alternative campus, scarfing down half a sandwich and chips while tugging a trash can around the lunch room to be sure kids don't leave things a mess, counseling students crying in the bathroom and students refusing to go to class because they don't like their teacher.
9. 3pm: I have my meeting. The only thing on my calendar. It is a good meeting, and one of just two things I got accomplished from my list that I needed to get done.
10. Come back to campus for after school duty--great weather outside and pleasant, until the fight that is....
11. Get the heck outta the office and over to the game! (thank heavens!)

Now here I am, soccer still going on, and it seems so long ago already that my day crashed. Amazing what this sport will do for ya! Go Tigers! : ) (and Yay--we just scored too!)

The Cough

So Ryan has been dealing with a runny nose, dried boogie face, and persistent little cough for about two weeks off and on. I'm sure it doesn't help that we go from 80 degrees one day to 50 degrees the next then back to 80, then 50 again....not ideal. So last night was Chris's last night away for a soccer tournament over night (thank heavens!), and Ryan and I had an evening spent arguing over little things (like which cookies she wanted, the one with the frosting or to make ones from Nestle Tollhouse which she couldn't decide on and threw a fit over--ahhh, three year olds). Then I gave her some Benedryl before bed as the Dr. suggested and as we've done the past couple of nights to help her get to sleep.

This was followed by 6 full hours of the most terrible, lose your breath, think it might make you throw up, not sleeping with this cough you've seen. She was miserable. I was miserable. At one point (around midnight), we got up and turned on the computer to make sure we didn't need to be considering a trip to the ER in the middle of the night. (thank God we didn't). So after a few more puffs from the inhaler, some motrin (the girl's gonna be super sore from all the coughing), and another couple hours (I think it was nearly 2am) of sleeplessness and praying for God to help us, Ry finally fell asleep (me too I think...) from 2am until, you guessed it, her usual-6:15am!!! Her internal clock seriously needs adjusting! Surely she was tired, but she still got up, came in the living room (I slept on the couch so I couldhear her better if she was struggling to breathe--we tried my bed, but she doesn't sleep well in there anyway since it's unfamiliar) and announces, "Mom? I'm hungry."

So with half open eyes I fix up the Captain Crunch Berries (I know, they aren't real berries and so aren't really healthy, but whatever!) and attempt to lay back down on the couch. "Mom? Can I watch somethin?" (Tigger and Pooh miraculously appears). "Mom? I thought we were going to eat Crunch Berries together." (maybe in a little bit) "Mom? I need to go potty. Can you turn on two lights?" Who am I kidding I'm up--and might as well have some Crunch Berries too.

Some things I have learned about Dallas

Currently at this conference, you can see there is some down time in the afternoons that I struggle to fill.

So I have decided to share a few things about Dallas:

1. I-45 becomes I-75 after you pass downtown. This is new information to me which I learned as we left the hotel for our first dinner out...good information to know considering that we needed to get on to 45 then 75 to get to Campisi's.

2. Campisi's is a little Italian restaurant off of 75 and Mockingbird. It is a cool old place with great cheese bread and pizza where the mob used to meet in a back room and where famous Dallas people like the Mavs players go eat all the time. There were no Mavs there the night we went. They had a game in Sacramento. Interestingly, though it is an Italian restaurant, it says Egyptian restaurant outside (supposedly there is an Egyptian room)....not sure where that came from. Nothing in there looks remotely Egyptian!

The outside of Campisi's

3. The Adolphus Hotel where we are staying is supposedly haunted. A couple of teachers who are here from our district swear they must be on the floor with a ghost (the 5th floor in case you are wondering). Each morning at 4:30am sharp they start to hear what sounds like a cart of plates (like a catering cart) go by their room many many times, but there is no one there when they look out the peep hole. The staff here say that there are ghosts and some won't go into certain parts of the building if it is dark or late at night.

The Adolphus Hotel in Dallas



4. A GPS is a good tool to have in Dallas. Though we have been travelling the same route the last few nights for dinner, it is still not a totally clear picture with exits and such. Probably doesn't help that somewhere on I-45 it magically becomes I-75! I often think that a GPS would be a waste of money for us in College Station, but for the few times we drive out of town, I think it may be worth thinking about at least--it is so reassuring and helpful. Highly recommended.


5. A GPS will have a hard time finding you when you are downtown in Dallas. The skyscrapers throw the thing off, so be prepared for a few minutes of "driving blind." But no worries-keep going and it will "recalculate" and help you figure out where you were a nicompoop.

So there you go--you might as well have been here too as I have revealed all there is to know about Dallas (or at least all I know after being here a few days).

Sorry for the wait

I know I know--why is it that I take so long between posts you ask? Well I've always had this little voice that says that we're not that interesting...I'm not a great storyteller (usually because I have such a forgetful mind that I don't remember things until someone says "remember that time"...and then I'm off and running). So here I am at a conference in Dallas and I see now how people become blog followers for the first time. It's quiet here. I have the laptop and I'm comfy in the bed (this place is amazing! The Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas). I have 10 minutes until we meet downstairs to eat at one of my favorite places--The Blue Goose (delicious margaritas)--and it has been so nice to check my friends' blogs and post comments too. I wish I knew more of my friends' blog addresses because I know they are out there.

But all that makes me ask what some of you may think is a very silly question.........more people do Facebook than blogging. Why is that? What is it about Facebook that makes it so great? Is it because people can find you from long ago? Here's why I ask: I'm very thankful for my friends and family right now. Did I have friends before moving to College Station? Sure, but not that many that I necessarily "miss" now that I am at this point in my life. So guide me if I'm crazy...why is Facebook so popular? Can I ignore people I don't care to talk to? Is that terrible to even say?

Anyway, thank you to those of you who still check back occasionally and read. I always vow to do better about posting more often and then have a hard time following through (I like the down time spent with my husband and Ryan so much it is hard to justify time on a computer sometimes). Maybe you guys can convince me of this Facebook phenomenon, but (epiphany) maybe I blog because I can talk about my family--Facebook is just about me and I don't think I am interesting enough to support a site just about me! : P

Ry's First Recital

Ryan has been doing "Kinderdance" on Tuesdays at her preschool for some time now, and this week they had their Christmas program! What a treat--hilarious, cute, and so fun! Here are a few of the pictures. What a doll! Jingling the bells (above) was the easy part....you can see below, some of the kids were a little more into it than others. Ryan of course, as usual, LOVED the attention and tried to do her best!

This is by far my favorite shot of the day! It was the grand finale, and Ry nailed it! I think she may become a performer in her future life since as a 3 year old, she already has this whole "ham it up" thing down to perfection! Truly, she loves the dance class and even talked some of her friends into being in the class--her good friends Ashley and Haley were in the class too--I think Ashley's mom is going to send a copy of the video. If so, I'll see if I can't get it on the blog! : )

We're dreaming of a White Christmas...

Who says we don't have seasons in Texas?? Pretty much from the time we woke up until the afternoon it has snowed off and on...and now that the day is ending and the temp is dropping, there is more accumulation! Hello!! Can you say AWESOME!! (especially to a three year old who thinks it is the greatest thing to ever happen!--at least for today!). Check out the pics:

I don't know why these pictures won't turn the right way! Don't pull a neck muscle trying to see them, but wanted to put them on anyway! : )

This little snowman reminds me of the one Kimber and I made when it snowed in second grade! I bet most kids who grew up in Texas have a picture like this one! : )

Life Lessons

(I read the following on another website (http://www.alexthegirl.com/). I think I needed to read this today and hope it will inspire you too. Some of the lines were especially poignant with my birthday last week, with work being challenging at times, with sometimes feeling too far away from loved ones, with sometimes being frustrated by others, and being so busy that I sometimes feel like time slips by and I don't know where it went. I guess I'm the type who loves a pep talk! Hope you enjoy it as well. Have a great week! Love, Kelly) (talk about fresh corn on the cob!--on our Iowa trip in Sept)

Ok, here it is:

Please go out there and do. Live. Don’t be the same as yesterday. Don’t use language that has no meaning or talk ideas you don’t really live. Don’t hide. Don’t copy others or live their ideas or life. Don’t fear doing your thing. Don’t fear doing. Instead of reading a decorating magazine, paint that room. Instead of thinking of baking, do up a cake. Run, walk, bike. Put that self help book down and pick up yourself.

Let go of the snark, your worries, your anger and fear and give into possibility, action, joy and life. Do. Do some more. Stop thinking about you. There’s a world out there to connect to, really connect to. Being of use is more important than being popular. Think about the lady down the street, the person at the drive through, the man fallen in the street, about politics, the environment, healthcare, another country and then do something about it. Never stop at thinking.

Dream big, work harder. Have lots of fun, lift a finger, do something for someone else. Cheer your friends on. Cheer yourself up. Celebrate as much as possible. Enjoy everything. Right now. It’s OK to want more and do more but be present with where you are or who you are with. Don’t rush the situation - even if it’s bad. Move on when you can. Don’t settle. Try everything you can and get over everything holding you back.

Go outside. Go outside yourself. Make a difference, make some change. Don’t complain about someone unless you’re talking to that someone. Don’t complain about a situation you’re not willing to make better. They don’t have it better and you don’t have it worse. Don’t make excuses. You’ll never see possibility if you do. And you’re smart and worth more than settling for a life of complaining and limitation.

Hope. Hope more. Give someone else hope. Get healthy and contribute to a healthy environment. Think about everything you do, you buy, you say. Only be lazy on Sunday and even then, be conscious. Rest is useful, giving up is not.

Play. Remember what it’s like to be seven. Remember to listen to a seven year old because you just have more words and life experience, not necessarily more wisdom. Have more questions than answers and don’t put everything into words. Sometimes just feel things and be. Be quiet more often, listen harder, talk exactly as you mean to.

Strive for your best and not what you think someone elses’ best is. Follow through. Don’t let others’ down. Don’t let yourself down. You are better than your circumstances. Ask for what you’re worth. Make magic happen don’t wish for it. Don’t envy others’ lives, envy yours. Live it fully. Teach by example how to live well, how to be treated, how to be kind, how to be alive.
Do. I can’t stress that one enough. Take action on your life. Make the change. No more sulking, waiting, thinking, reading, talking about. It’s time. You’re ready.