25 Random Things

I was tagged for this on Facebook, so thought I would post 25 random things about me here...

1. I plan to go to bed at 10 every night but really don't get there until 11. I am tired a lot!

2. I hit the snooze button at least 4 times every morning before getting up at 5:47.

3. I am always late and I know this is not a good thing. I *think* about being on time but it never happens. I *should* get up at 5:37.

4. I went to the grocery store earlier for baby wipes, wine, and ice cream. Important stuff.

5. I am still friends with the people I went to preschool with!

6. I have uncooperative hair.

7. I love reality tv. I do not like stressful tv shows like B watches (24, CSI, PrisonBreak). I prefer crap like Girls Next Door, Real Housewives, The Bachelor, etc.

8. I love to look at houses and house plans. I used to want to be an architect, but I am not artistic enough. I would like to be a real estate agent or senator (to fix education) when I grow up.

9. I am really good at getting children to behave, all except for my own!

10. I really like my car (Pacifica)!

11. I have a serious addiction to caffeine- coffee and Coke Zero are almost all I drink. I can drink it at bedtime and still sleep like a log.

12. I LOVE to travel, except for the packing. My favorite place in the world is Washington, DC.

13. My family eats at El Corona about once a week. The waiters know our first names, birthdays, and we get automatic drinks. My children ask for leche instead of milk and cucharra instead of a spoon.

14. I have bunjee jumped twice (at Myrtle Beach senior week) and have ridden in an airplane being flown by my husband.

15. My favorite restaurants are Harper's (at Friendly, not the car wash) and Carmine's.

16. I love little girls with big hair bows. I know this will not last forever so I'm enjoying it now.

17. I had tubes in my ears twice as a child and two c-sections as an adult. The first one was a scary emergency, the second was planned ahead and really easy.

18. I like the beach, but I do not like the sand, salt water, or sunscreen. I prefer pools.

19. I would love to live in a huge city just once, for a while. I would also like to live somewhere REALLY cold and snowy just once. I wouldn't mind living in Florida. Obviously, I am open-minded!

20. I have learned the importance of sunscreen- I had a freckle removed from my lip that was not cancerous, but could have been. Wear sunscreen, people!!!!!

21. I married my best friend.

22. Besides my husband, dad, and brother, my Grandpa is my hero. I married a man who is just like him.

23. I do not like to plan meals. I would rather eat out than make the decision, or clean up instead of cook.

24. I have a shopping problem. I am creating a mini-shop-aholic (R).

25. I do not like to call people on the phone, but I will talk to you all day if you call me!

Your turn.

Paint colors- please help!!!

I need suggestions... I'm trying to pick out a wall color for our family room. B and I cannot agree at this point- he wants brown, just brown. I want something with a little more color. We both want something that will "go" with our new light wood floors, dark white couches (yes, with little kids in the house), and espresso-ish dark brown tables and tv console. Right now the walls are a light taupe shade that is way too blah. There is a big window so the room gets pretty good light. Any suggestions???

Funny little kids

In honor of yesterday's inauguration, I thought I should share this little story with you...

Last week, our music teacher was teaching a first grade class about different musical instruments. She held up some maracas and asked the students to tell her what they were called.

The little boy who raised his hand said it was a "Marack Obama".

Scenes from a (sort of) snow day

We had a "dusting" - at least that's what the weather guys called it- of snow here in NC today, and of course school was called off. I was more than happy to stay home and clean up from the floor fiasco of the weekend (more on that later). I guess we'll be back to reality tomorrow...

On another note, I had not been terribly excited in the days leading up to today about watching the inauguration, just because I did not think I would be able to while teaching other teachers' classes. So the snow day also gave me a chance to sit down and watch a little history with my girls. B is a total republican and still a little bitter about McCain losing, so he was avoiding watching at all costs, but I think I (who should probably be registered as an independent) made a very valid point when I said to him, Today is a huge day no matter who you voted for- that doesn't really matter anymore. As they say in High School Musical, we're all in this together.

Snow?

Right now I am doing a little snow dance- it's starting to fall a little but we only have a Winter Weather Advisory. That doesn't usually amount to much in NC! I could really use another day off- we put in hardwood floors this weekend and accomplished NOTHING but hardwood floors. I need a snow day!!

Almost (a little bit) famous

I received a message the other day via Facebook from a girl who went to my same high school (a few years younger). She works at the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History and helped me plan our visit when I went to DC with the 5th grade back in November. The Smithsonian is getting ready to create new promotional materials for the museums (brocures, I guess?) and needs a teacher to be featured with a picture and quote. Guess who they asked to do it? I'm sure none of you will be reading any Smithsonian brocures any time soon, but someone will and there I'll be!

We are looking forward to a fun weekend in the Tiaras house. B's bff from Orlando is coming in tonight with his fabulous wife and their 2 year old boy. They are the ones we stay with every year when we take the girls to Disney and are some of our favorite people. They are honestly just so easy to be around and don't mind at all when my girls pretend to be little Nicolas's moms. I'm sure he will be dressed in poufy skirts, princess heels, and tiaras at some point this weekend. Jeff and B will be stripping up the carpet and putting down hardwoods in our family room while Jodi and I entertain the kids. Did I mention the temps are supposed to be in the low 30s all weekend? We'll be thinking of ways to entertain the kids INDOORS.

Happy (long) weekend!!

Accuweather

This is a site I check almost daily, but today they are not my friend. The forecasted low for tomorrow morning here in North Carolina is projected to be 10. Yes, 10 degrees. And what will I be doing tomorrow morning while it's 10 degrees outside? Standing on a concrete sidewalk for 30 minutes opening car doors for children who are fully capable of opening their own doors. My 3 year old can do it if the child locks are off, but I will be ensuring the safety of 400 5 - 11 year olds in the frigid-ness tomorrow morning. And Friday? Not much better. The low is supposed to be 12. Want to switch jobs with me tomorrow?

Slumber party hangover

Who doesn't remember the major drama of sleepovers? S had a big night last night- she went to a birthday party for one of her best little friends. They had makeovers at Libby Lu, dinner at Longhorn, and spent the night at the birthday girl's house. I was a little worried about possible girl drama and here's why. There were only 5 girls total and S gets along great with all but 1 of them. The 1 that is a bit of a problem (I'll call her Drama Girl) plays with S all the time- her mom is also a teacher at our school so the 2 of them hang out in the afternoons while waiting to go home. They want to play together every day but end up not being able to get along. They have been in the same class for the last 2 years and are "friends" but they fuss and fight like crazy. All week this week S has been telling me that Drama Girl has been mean to her on the playground, saying "you can't play with me, I'm not your friend..."

My mom's advice to me about these things was always to Kill Them With Kindness, so I keep telling S to just make sure she is always the nicest person in the room. She usually has no problem getting along, so I know that Drama Girl is probably the source of most of the problems- it's mostly the "you're not my friend, are you my friend" crap- S is just not into that stuff yet. Last night was apparently no exception. Birthday girl's mom had to separate S and Drama Girl at bedtime b/c Drama Girl kept whining, complaining, and being difficult, while S and the others were doing great. They were up past midnight so I have a cranky girl who will be going to bed early. I just can't believe that it is starting this early- I know there was no drama like this in my life at age 6 1/2~ I think we were at least 9 or 10!

Hooked on Fridays: mindless TV

Before you read this, let me explain that I really am an intelligent person.

Now, let me explain what I am hooked on: mindless reality TV.

I'm not sure exactly why I so love the Real Housewives, the Girls Next Door, and the like. Maybe I would like to experience some of their private jets and huge bling? Maybe not. I really do like my life most of the time.

One of my new favorites this week is the Bachelor. Jason was my choice from last season on the Bachelorette and think it is ridiculous that they let DeAnna come back this season- she made her bed and now she should have to lay in it!!! Right now I would love for him to choose Melissa (loved her on Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team) or Stephanie (mature single mom). I also watched True Beauty, which came on after the Bachelor Monday night. This was mindless-ness at its finest. 10 people who think they are the most beautiful people on the planet all wanting to win a spot in People magazine's Most Beautiful issue. They are actually being judged on their inner beauty. Yeah, right.

I know I should expand my mind and watch more CSI or CNN. I do watch Grey's Anatomy, so maybe the medical terms could count as educational? I spend all day involved in education so when I have time to actually sit and watch something on TV I do not want to be stressed out while watching!!

Randomness

Here's what is going on this week:

~ I could NOT sleep Sunday night but the first day back yesterday was not bad. Just getting up and getting there on time was the biggest challenge.

~ S is sick today with a sore throat, so we are home today and going to the dr. in a little while for a strep test. Yuck. Just when I had trained my brain to the idea of working again...

~ R was very clingy last night. I think she missed me yesterday :)

~ B has been working super hard in our house. He has painted the kitchen and the girls' hallway, hung a new light over the kitchen table, and moved furniture in the bedroom. The contractor is coming this week to start working on our bed/bath transformation. NOT looking forward to the dust and mess.

~ It is raining and 40 degrees today. Why could it not be just 8 degrees lower? Snow days are so much more fun than sick days.

~ I am in love with my new Wii Fit. It really really works. I'm convinced that I will have killer abs by summer if I just keep at it...

More later!

Procrastination

I've been putting off going back to work for as long as possible, but tomorrow is the day. I think the back to school after Christmas dread is why New Year's is my least favorite holiday. I prolonged my vacation an extra day by taking annual leave on Friday instead of going in for the teacher workday. I made extra sure that I was ready for this week when I left school before Christmas.

It really won't be that bad- Monday's are actually nice this year. I work at my "other" school and share a room with one of my good friends. The children are sweet and the classes go by fast. The hardest part will be the getting up at 5:30 am when I've been sleeping until 8:30 or 9 for the past 2 weeks (I've been blessed with late sleeping children). Oh, and I'll really miss my girls, too. I've been searching online for higher paying jobs for B so I can be a stay at home mom... anyone know someone who needs an experienced loan officer/bank manager??

Hooked on Fridays: Shark

I picked up this little idea from Julia at Hooked on Houses- Hooked on Fridays. Right now I am totally hooked on this Shark 2 in 1 Stick Vacuum. I got mine on Black Friday for $10 at Target, and picked one up for part of my mom's Christmas for $20. I promise that I really use it every day. My cleaning used to consist of DustBusting every day and vacuuming every week with the huge Rainbow (how I hate, hate, hate dumping that water). No more dying charges or nasty water with the Shark.

The other day we made chocolate dipped peanut butter crackers and let R decorate the tops with left over Christmas cookie sprinkles. The Shark picked up every one of the million or so sprinkles that ended up on my kitchen floor and I was pretty happy that I did not have to get down there with the broom and dust pan. If you have messy children or husbands, get yourself hooked on the Shark!!