I'm a loser baby....

Nothing makes you realize what a real loser you are, like a "girlfriend" movie coming out and you can't get a one god damn "friend" to go with you. And the real cherry is when all the same ones you asked to go with you all post on Social media about going with their other friends. 

It brings me back to being a kid when all my friends would go to RI beaches but their parents wouldn't let me go because "she's a bad influence". Yet I was the one that didn't do drugs, didn't get knocked up at 16, graduated with honors (and half a year early), and am married to my high school boyfriend (together 22 years). 

But yes, I was the bad influence to have around your little princesses. 

I guess I'll either go see Bad Moms alone (wearing a capital L on my chest) or wait for DVD and watch alone with my wine like usual.

Frog Prince

K was cast in her 3rd Missoula Children's Theatre performance this week. The first was a pesky Parrott, 2nd was a pushy Penguin, and this week was a wild Venus Fly Trap.

In the prior shows she showed up for auditions and all kids were casts (generally they can accommodate 50 actors/asst. directors). This shows auditions were held on the 4th of July at 10am. No one expected the number of kids to show up that did. 112!! For 50 parts.

She auditioned well. Was LOUD. CLEAR. And EXPRESSIVE. Those are the 3 main characteristics Missoula coaches look for. Even still, I wasn't holding my breath. But in the end she was selected. Her part this time was teeny tiny, no individual lines, and only 2 scenes. But the experience is something we can't get elsewhere.

The next show, in the fall, is Wendy and Peter! I'm not sure who is more excited, she or I!!

She love theatre so much. I've got to do some research to find some other programs I could enroll her in. She has zero interest in sports (other than gymnastics which, well, she's not super at) but loves theatre type items.

Here are a couple pics of the Fly Trap herself! (And with her biggest fan!)

Wordless Wednesday - big boy

The last of the 30's

That's it folks, I am 7 days away from the last year of my 30's. Last.year.of.my.30's!!!! That means I am 372 days away from becoming 40. 40!

I've decided to stop coloring my hair. I drive a mini van. I stay home Friday nights because my yoga pants are so comfortable. I worry about finances. I am a grown up :(

Almost 7

This girl. So caring, gentle, kind, and filled with love. She'll be 7 in 2 short weeks. Hard to believe she made me a mom almost a decade ago.

10 The things I miss

1 - having friends
2 - my kids when they are away
3 - having money in my bank account
4 - watching movies with my husband
5 - exercise
6 - pedicures
7 - warm breezes
8 - cinnamon rolls
9 - vacations
10 - heels

What do you miss?

Good People

I recently had an experience that reminded me, there really are good people left in this world filled with evil.

So for at least 4 years K has been asking to take gymnastics. Now she is NOT graceful in any way shape or form. This kid is constantly covered in bruises from falling, tripping, stumbling. And for all her asking I've honestly never really looked into it because the closest facility is a good 25 minutes away. But over the past 2 years she has tried Soccer, Basketball, Karate and T ball. Only liking or showing any talent in Karate. This year as the gymnastics requests began I went ahead and began to research.

This sport is NOT cheap! At least not for my wallet. I looked at our budget and tried to find anywhere we could cut back to make it work, and it just wasn't possible.  I knew she would, yet again, be disappointed.  In a moment of frustration over my poverty level I posted something along the lines of "Would anyone like to donate $370 to me so that K can join gymnastics?  Poor kid has been asking for years and yet again I can't afford it", on Facebook.  I received lots of feedback on ways to add it to my budget (all of which were not valid in my case - we already don't have cable, land lines, etc) even a suggestion that I start a go fund me. Which I considered. In the end I just explained that we just couldn't afford it, but that I would take her to the open gym times to try it out.

Fast forward a week or so, I go to check the mail. In the box is an envelope, addressed to me, with no return. I open it to find a Cashiers check made payable to me in the amount of $370.00. I couldn't figure it out. Was I expecting a refund from something?  A rebate?  It literally took me 30 minutes or more for it to click. This was for K to go to gymnastics!! I was blown away. An anonymous donation covering her entire tuition from Sept through Jan.
Faith restored in human kind. And one very happy little girl.

Off we go!

School has been in session for a couple weeks now. 

And this boy is even taking the bus!!!

Summer update

So much to cover...

K. She is now 6.5 yrs old, has lost 7 teeth, and is entering the 1st grade in a little over a week. 

She does pretty well with reading and arithmetic. 

She requires a bit more attention when it comes time to focus, but I am convinced that the 6yr old brain is quite chaotic and hard to focus.  

She is a good swimmer, getting stronger by the day. 

Interested in arts rather than sports. She was in 2 different plays this summer, Blackbeard the Pirate (with the Missoula Children's Theatre) and Bugs (with the Katherine Hepburn Camp for Kids). In the first she had shared lines and songs, but the latter she had 8 lines of her own. She did great and really showed a significant amount of independence and bravery by attending these rehearsals/camps alone, knowing no one.

She is NOT excited for school to begin. 

Currently obsessed with Shopkins.

S. He is now 3.3 and entering his first of 2 years of pre school. 

In March he was evaluated for our public school pre school program as a "role model" student. He was one of five students selected. That means he gets 2 years of FREE pre school!!!! Students selected were advanced in speech and socialization skills. 

He has a temper this one. Oh boy.

If there is one person in the world he will snuggle with, it's me

His eye exam resulted in glasses. Poor kid hasn't been seeing too hot out of his left eye. 

He went to camp for 2 whole weeks this summer and LOVED it

He's been potty trained since right after Xmas, and hasn't had a wet pull-up in the morning in weeks. (He begs to wear one still for bed)

He only naps once, maybe twice a week.

Me.

I'm primarily working from home these days. 4/5 days I am home, and sometimes I don't go in for 2 or 3 weeks.  While I love it, I'll like it more once both kids are in school.

I'm looking at a "promo" (funny

How they call it that when it's just more responsibility and no more money) in the next month or so 

Really liking my job these days though. Have had some fun, yet educational projects over the past year.

We've been loving the summer. Been to the beach several times, fireworks, had the tent out in the yard, play dates, amusement parks, movies, splash pads,  pool almost daily, and family visits. Overall fun summer.

School begins the Monday before Labor Day for K and Tuesday for S. I am looking forward to routine. 

Off to camp!

Surfing

Sand and ocean

New glasses!

Boating on the CT River 

Goof balls at the outlets

Almost three...

This boy is almost three years old. He is fierce. He is Strong. He is defiant. He loves to cuddle on his mommas lap. He loves to hug while I am standing and holding him. He has learned to "kiss".  He is fully potty trained other than sleeping. He doesn't stop talking. He was just selected to attend FREE pre school for the next 2 years as a "role model" (man are they screwed). He knows the name of every type of tractor. He loves his sissy. He loves his momma. He loves anything that moves, cars, trucks, trains, planes. He loves hostess chocolate donuts and banana bread with chocolate Chips.

He is almost three years old. 3 yrs old.