My Fan Club

Friday, October 30, 2009

Friday High Five: Five Blessings in my life I often overlook


It's time again for Friday High Five, where in bloggyville we list five things about, well whatever we feel like listing five things about.
Today I'm going warm and fuzzy. Try not to get too overwhelmed. Here are five blessings in my life that I often overlook.
  1. My children: They are ornery, healthy and always underfoot. Sometimes I take that for granted.
  2. My husband: We can get on each other's nerves just like any married couple but when it comes right down to it, he usually knows exactly what I need.
  3. My sister: Growing up it was fun to torture her, now that she live 8 plus hours away I miss her more than anything. How can I explain this to my kids. It is so true that you don't know what you have until it is gone.
  4. My dog: Of course, if you tell him I will deny this statement. He begs for food, he smells, he has the loudest bark in the entire world, but he lays with me when I am sick, he knows when I am sad, and he thinks going for a walk can cure anything. He may be right.
  5. Bloggy buddies: I think you are awesome. Those who comment, those who follow, those who stop by regularly and those who just like lurking. Words of affirmation is my love language and this blog provides a lot of them.

Have a happy and safe Halloween. Keep your fingers crossed that our trick or treat doesn't get washed out or I am going to have three very sad little blessings on my hands.

To read more Friday High Five Posts click here.


Thursday, October 29, 2009

Things I learned at the cafeteria this week...

image from the book 12 Terrible Things by Marty Kelley

I am happy to report that the kids (and I) are off of school tomorrow and Monday. Something to do with end of the marking period, give the teachers some time to do grades. Whatever. Sounds good to me.

That means a short work week this week and next. Yeah.

Here are a few things that I learned this week at the cafeteria:

  • Bagged lunch day is awesome: Third grade had a field trip this week and we got to make bagged lunches for everyone. No trays and very little dishes. Doesn't get much better than that.
  • Tuna is more popular than expected.
  • Turkey and Gravy over Waffles? WTF? I thought it was over biscuit. Wow what a mess! K-3 should never be given gravy.
  • If the head cook takes off you may be expected to come in at 7 a.m. to make the donuts...I mean french toast sticks. Memo to those in charge: Ain't ever gonna happen...
  • Corn is persnickety: I expect to find stray kernels for the next week.

What did you learn this week?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

For Jenners - because I know she'd do it for me

Brace yourself...it's dorky picture day and I'm the feature. Jenners begged me to post a picture of myself dressed as ketchup for the kids school Fall party (not allowed to say Halloween at my elementary, but alas I'm getting sidetracked.)

After Jenners posted this. How could I deny her such a request.

A couple of disclaimers:

I thought it would be funny to be food and I wanted the other lunch ladies to participate too. I thought it would be awesome if I went as ketchup, D went as Mustard and S went as a big hot dog. Alas, they had other plans, i.e. football and veggin on the couch.

That being said I didn't want to pay $29.99 for a ketchup costume. So I made one. I cut the word out on my cricut. Taped it to a red shirt and made a pointy hat out of a 12x12 piece of paper.

I'd also like to point out that I am not 7 foot tall. I just look enormous on this picture because my 8 year old took it. Frightening to me that this is what I look like to her. LOL

This one is for you, Jenners.




Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Post It Note Tuesday - what will you say?

We pause this weekly post to bring you a holiday craft. Inspired by Going Buggy, I made this to hang up at the cafeteria. The ghosts are from the cricut paper doll cart as is the spider and the spiderweb. I painted the wreath black and wrapped it in orange.




It's time once again for Post It Note Tuesday. Why waste words when you can simply put it on a post it note








After the last swim coach almost let my son drown, we have moved to a new class. Keeping my fingers crossed that she won't suck.





Yesterday we had smile fries at work. You'd think elementary kids would eat them, but alas....they eat nothing.












Last night we carved our jack-o-lanterns. I think I may have had more fun than the kids. Just curious...do you bake and eat your seeds or is that just some hillbilly tradition we have in our family?









Monday, October 26, 2009

Weekend Update: Fall Fest, sicko kid and hubby, impromtu visits and birthday parties! Oh My!

This weekend was again jammed packed full of fun! Friday night was our elementary school Fall Festival, complete with D.J., which my kids absolutely LOVED!



Here's the school principal dressed like a princess with my oldest as Mulan.


Here's Middle G with one of her good buddies, M. M. was out of school most of the week because she had the flu so it was no surprise to me when Middle G. woke up on Saturday with a fever!



Here's little G dressed like a police man with his good friend C. C and Little G are both 6 and yes...he is that much taller than him.



Here's all three of them before we left and before the weather took a turn for the crappy! Hubby and I both dressed up for the event, but I guess I don't have pics of that. I was ketchup (LOL) and hubby was a surgeon. A pretty cute surgeon...
On Saturday, since Middle G was not feeling great we decided soccer in the rain probably wasn't the best move and she said home.
My dad was supposed to visit but he has the flu so he cancelled. When my mom found out he cancelled she decided to visit instead. Mom and her husband came Saturday evening and stayed until Sunday afternoon.
My son had a birthday party to attend on Saturday night and Oldest had a birthday party at a skating rink to attend on Sunday afternoon.
Things were go go go and then hubby started feeling crappy Sunday morning. Here it is Monday afternoon and he is still in bed. I got the kids ready for school and worked till 2 p.m. so I'm not sure if he hasn't gotten out of bed all day or not.
H1N1??? May be time to breakout some yellow police tape....


Friday, October 23, 2009

BLerApy - Anony-Musings by bloggers world wide--sometimes you just gotta say it.







Welcome visitors!



I am hosting an anyonymous post for
bLerApy © day
Hosted by


Princess of Sarcasm and SupahMommy


*Please remember that the post for today is written by an anonymous blogger and not by myself. The views, ideas and opinions expressed are exclusively the anony-bloggers.




* however i might just have a post floating around in the mix




After you read today's bLerApy© post: please feel free to snoop around my blog. Here's a post you might like!
Suckation 2009


I hope to see you again.

___________________________________________________________________________

Much thanks to Supah Mommy and Princess of Sarcasm for the opportunity to about post a few things that I couldn't (or won't unless somebody pisses me off) on my blog.

Due to the fact that I have many things to get off my chest, I'm going to compile a list and call it...

Bitch Fest 2009

1. The Queen of Complaints

I love my MIL, but she is the biggest hypochondriac I know. She ALWAYS has some aliment. You know how you ask someone "How are you?". Well unless you want to kill 30 minutes listening to someone complain, don't ask my MIL.

Granted she does have some legitimate health concerns, but if I say my back hurts, hers hurts so bad she can hardly move. If I say I've got a headache, hers has been hurting for days. If I say I'm tired, she didn't sleep at all last night. See where I'm going with this?

Sometimes if I'm not feeling good, say a headache, I don't even mention it because she already has and then I'll sound like a hypochondriac. Does that make sense?

The only times that I one-upped her is when I was pregnant. Kinda hard for a 60-year-old to copy that huh?

Oh and they live next door.

2. The Princess of Denial

I also love my SIL and her boyfriend, but she is living in a dream world if she thinks they will ever get married. He has got to be the cheapest person I know. He and my SIL "go dutch" on everything! Dinner, movies, entertainment, whatever. She pays for her own stuff!!! From the day I met my hubs, I did not pay for a thing. Hell, now he even pays for his own birthday present. But that's another story. It's just the Southern thing for gentlemen to do.

They went to Disney World with us recently. We spent more than $5000. They spent maybe, MAYBE $500. Probably closer to $300. They stayed at a cheaper hotel, barely on property (I had to insist on that), where he could get the points. She payed for half. Every day, they had to go WAY out of their way to meet a guy who could get them in the parks for free. On Sunday the guy couldn't meet them, so they didn't go into the parks. SIL hasn't been to WDW in 20+ years, but BF used to live in Orlando. So she missed a whole day. Instead, they rode around & he showed her his old house, school, etc. What fun! But that did lead to us eating at Joe's Crab Shack that night, where I got wasted. Very well deserved.

This year, my FIL bought her a house and paid for it to be TOTALLY renovated. All she pays for are utilities, phones, stuff like that, which she did at her other house. He's also paying to have her old house fixed up to be sold or rented. Since they split everything already, if they got married he basically wouldn't have to pay for anything but the ring. And hell, she's leaning on 42 so she'd probably split that too.

3. My Busy-Body Mother

I really much love my mother, but she needs a project that doesn't involve me or the church. She is way too involved at our church. I'm not talking the religion part, though she does tend to go a little overboard on that sometimes too.

We're talking the business end. And volunteering. She's the church treasurer, helps with the Needy program, sings in the choir, plays the bells and serves on about 4 committees.
I'm the Children's Coordinator; since we have a paid Children's Ministry Director, I help with the programs but it's basically a name on a page. But my mother, since she is at the church office so much, feels like she needs to discuss everything that goes on with me. She really likes the CMD; so do I, but I don't get paid nor to I have the time or space in my mind to worry about any of this.

And my poor BFF, she's the Nursery Coordinator; they're trying to get the nursery redecorated; my mother is about to worry her to death. And me. And I don't even have a child in the nursery!

If you want to chit-chat, let's gossip or talk about other people. Let's be catty. My brain can handle that. It's on overload right now.

I think I'm fixing to call her & put her on going through ALL my children's clothing. That should keep her busy for a week.

Okay. Since this is so long and I want Supah and Princess to do this again, I will conclude Bitch Fest 2009 now.

Hope my crazy life makes yours a little more enjoyable!
__________________________________________________________________________

Below you will find a linky list of anony-musings of famed bloggers world wide. Please visit each host listed below - to view a showcased bLerApy© blog.














Blog Therapy= bLerApy©




coined by Princess













Did you miss out on bLerApy©?




Awww...don't cry.







Join us for the next round!


November 6th 2009.


Blog submissions are due


November 4th 12 midnight.


Find out more by clicking the link below and submit your own!










Thursday, October 22, 2009

Writer's Workshop: Those are the rules so suck it up


It's time for mama kat's workshop. Are you participating? Visiting? The prompt, write your own playground rules.
These rules are for both the children and the adult providing them transportation and thereby assuming responsibility for them.
  1. Flip flops and mulch are not friends.
  2. Shoving, kicking and pulling hair is not "just being a boy." Try parenting.
  3. Take turns.
  4. Dress like you are going to the playground. This goes for the parent/guardian as well.
  5. Swing pushing/riding has a time limit.
  6. Go to the bathroom before you get in the sandbox.
  7. Ask your mother, not me, to tie your shoes, take you to the bathroom, or push you on the swing.
  8. If you bring a lunch, clean it up. Try to remember that you are the example.
  9. Dogs that can't be touched are not invited to the park.
  10. Treat others as you would like to be treated...say hello to the new mom who showed up by herself. Invite her to talk or socialize with your friends. Encourage your children to be friends with someone new.

I guess these rules won't solve any world crisis, but they sure would make going to the playground a lot more fun!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Wordful Wednesday - Motherhood





Motherhood = belly laughs and grins 97% of the time
pictures circa. 2004



Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Post it note Tuesday - filled with laughs...okay not so much.

It's that time of the week again...POST IT NOTE TUESDAY. Are you playing along? Are you wasting words that no one is listening too. What's wrong with you?...Seriously. Click on the button at the bottom of this post to learn more about this fun event.
Don't be a Halloween hater. You used to play dress up when you were little too.

Nothing worse than a school aide who wants to be every one's buddy. Love them enough to tell them not to run. Seriously. Your mama told you.


Supah is a genius. Enough said.


OMG. My kids are killing me. Is it a full moon? Why must they hate each other!




No mail, two days this week. I'm starting to hate.






Monday, October 19, 2009

Weekend Update: BOB, birthday parties, and good football games

Our weekend was jammed packed full of fun and activities. Friday night we all went to B.O.B., which stands for Battle of the Buildings. Our four elementaries, two intermediates, the middle school and the high school all battled it out for the right to fly the B.O.B. banner.

Our little elementary had quite the turn out and I'm not sure my hearing has returned to normal. My son was beside himself with excitement because his teacher as one of the participates. Maybe next year I'll represent the cafeteria....


This is a picture of our principal running in the plunger/volleyball leg of the contest. That takes some serious concentration.



Our team color was purple and some of the teachers had this iron on on the back of their shirts, which I thought was quite clever and had to take a picture of it. Sadly, we didn't win, but we came in a strong second. The high school won again, which is quite the rip off. For three reasons, they have an entire P.E. department and we have a gym teacher, they have home field advantage as the event is held at the high school, and no one from the high school comes to the event as they don't really care what there teachers are doing...

Next year...we're taking them!



My son's party was a hit and the kids were all very good and not too loud. I think I kept them moving and busy the entire time so they really didn't have a chance to get out of line.

Out of the 12 we invited 9 showed up which I thought was pretty darn good.

Here is little G with his cake. It is the same picture I used for his invitations. I ordered it from Ebay and was very happy with how it turned out. Very easy to do and you can get just about any design that you want.



Hubby's parents stayed the night and on Sunday we went to church and then out to eat at a restaurant showing the Steelers game. Yep, that's right. Even though I live in Pennsylvania I'm tortured with Baltimore Raven games all the time.
The good news...Pittsburgh won and Baltimore didn't. Doesn't get much better than that.
Friday, October 16, 2009

Fun and Games with Jenners: What if?


 




So what if you made a different choice at a key moment in your life???
 



I have to say Jenners really made me think about this one. I had to sit down and contemplate...what exactly the key moments of my life have been.


We've all heard those scary stories about the people who missed the plane and then it crashed, or were stuck in traffic and late for work on 9/11. But that really wasn't a conscious decision.


When I was 18 I moved out of my house. After all, I had everything figured out and didn't need to go to college or learn anything else. I was working at Burger King and partying with friends every weekend. I moved in with one of those friends into an apartment that made my mother cry every time she came to visit.


Shortly after that, I was fired. It's a long story meant for another post, but for this game let's pretend that never happened. Let's pretend that I didn't get fired from Burger King, that I stayed there, worked there, and became the manager.


Me and the King


When he came to me and asked me what I thought of his proposition I sort of chuckled. After all he wasn't really my type. Of course, I never really thought that I would be over 35 and still not married.



There was that one boy, who worked here many moons ago, but alas he went off to college and never returned. I thought I would end up with him, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.



I've worked at BK for more than half my life. I've seen many changes. I've gone from working the cash register, to making the sandwiches, to handling the fries and onion rings, to now being in charge of the safe.



Should I take it one step further? Should I accept the King's marriage proposal?



I think it is meant to be.




Just imagine how cute our kids will be!


Friday High Five: Five Crazy Events Happening this Weekend


It's time, again, for Friday High Five and this week I'm listing five events we have going on this weekend. It the time of the year where it's go, go, go around here.

  • Tonight is B.O.B. What is that? That is Battle of the Buildings. Our elementary vs. my daughter's intermediate vs. the middle school vs. the high school. I think you get the picture. The problem is...where do we sit. With the elementary and wear purple or with the intermediate and wear pink....I think I'll sit with the elementary and let my oldest sit with her friends if she wants.
  • Soccer. Don't tell anyone but I'm getting a little bit tired of soccer. Especially rainy cold soccer starting at 9:30 in the morning.
  • Birthday party extravaganza. It's my son's sixth birthday party. Here's hoping that my headache isn't migraine status by the end of it.
  • Parties bring guests and out of town company. My in-laws will be staying over night until Sunday.
  • Football fun on Sunday: Here's hoping the Steelers win and Baltimore and Cincinnati lose.

What are you planning for the weekend?

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Writer's Workshop: How did you get your name?


Mama Kat asked and I answered:







My name is Wendy and my parents were dorks. They thought The Association was saying Wendy, when, infact, they were saying "Windy". You think they could have figured that out by the title.


But alas, it isn't the only thing they got confused....others involve priorities, mariage vows, and the ability to be civil to each other. Of course, these matters should most likely be saved for another post.


How did you get your name?


Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Things I learned at the cafeteria this week


Things have been hopin' at the elementary school cafeteria and I'm learning lots of new things everyday. Some of the things I learned this week include:

  • My school district still celebrates the rape and pillage of America, otherwise known as Columbus Day. No school Monday.
  • Chicken Pot Pie is not a pie on this side of Pennsylvania. On the western side of PA it is most definitely a pie. Here...not so much. It's what we westerners call soup.
  • Making apple crisp for 200 people involves measurement's that include: pounds of flour and oats and bags of brown sugar. Are you hungry yet?
  • If I call off because I have a sick child at home the odds that the state inspector will show up are high. Who knew???
  • Chocolate milk is the most popular flavor of milk by far. This includes breakfast...fruit loops and chocolate milk anyone???

How is your week working out???

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Post it Note Tuesday - what will you say?

It's Tuesday. You know what that means. Time for Post it Note Tuesday with Supah. What will you say??


Seriously...how much stuff can one person be expected to sell. I have two elementary kids and one intermediate child and they all are selling something. Plus middle is selling something for soccer. UGH



I'm home from work today. Yep. After having Friday off for my beach trip and having yesterday off for Columbus Day...I'm off again for child with a fever day.




Of course, this gives me another day to catch up with the dreaded dog hair and laundry. I think, dare I say, I'd rather be serving lunch.



Monday, October 12, 2009

Weekend update: recovering from my beach party



Yep. That's my new lunch lady action figure courtesy of the crazy 10 women I went on vacation with this weekend. Those beotches really know how to party! I think I need to sleep for another day just to recover.



Here's Becky and I down by the water. Can you tell it was a little windy? We had fairly nice weather for October. The people three houses down from us had their wedding in this wind so I suppose it could have been worse. We got to watch the whole thing unfold, though even in long sleeves and blankets we were cold.



I got 22 scrapbook pages complete. We drank, we laughed and a handful of them performed a skit for us that had us nearly peeing our pants. It involved them dressed as lunch ladies and dancing to Adam Sandlers Lunch lady.




How was your weekend?
Friday, October 9, 2009

Friday High Five - why I'm glad I'm off today


For today's Friday High Five I'm posting five reason why I'm glad I'm off of work today. If you're not playing along you should be. Click on the button to learn more.
  1. On the menu: Fish nuggets and mac and cheese. Nuff said.
  2. Not on the menu: alcohol.
  3. Monday is a holiday. Can you say four day weekend?
  4. Scrappin all weekend.
  5. Beach view, beach house, beach buddies.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Writer's Workshop - Summertime memories


When you take the field in games unplayed
It is my hope for you that your smile never fades.
May you always play like there's no place else to be
and your love of the game be easy to see.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: One more day!


One more day and I shall return! One more day!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Post it note Tuesday - what's on your mind

It's Tuesday. Time once again for Post It Note Tuesday. Are you playing along? You should be.



Seriously. Does anyone else have a Postal carrier that doesn't deliver the mail if 1) there is a car she deems too close to the mailbox 2) has a garbage can fall near the mail box 3) has flowers she deems too long near the mailbox.

Then she has the audacity to ask for a tip at Christmas. I have a few tips I can give her....





This book "19 minutes" is my October book of the month. It is about a school shooting and it is an emotional train wreck. As a mother of pre-teen kids, this book is scarier than any fiction you can read.

If your son was accused and on trial for what can only be described as Columbine how would you feel? Would you still see the little boy who loved the crust cut off his bread and couldn't decide if he wanted his hair to grow or for you to buzz it off again or would you see a monster capable of shooting 29 kids and killing 10 of them?

This book makes you mourn for the kids lost but at the same time hate them for what some of them did to the accused. This book makes you side with both the prosecution and the defense and makes you so happy that you are not seated on the jury.

If you like legal thrillers with a twist, you may like this book.

I found the book heart wrenching at times but yet I couldn't put it down. I HAD to know how it would end.

Like I said...an emotional train wreck.



If you would like to play along or read more just click on the button below.



Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

About Me

My Photo
kisatrtle
I'm a 41 year old (gasp) freelance writer, school cafeteria manager, wife and mother. I have three children and one anxious and overweight beagle. I use my blog to make others laugh, to share some cool crafts, to document my lunchlady adventures and to lament about the challenges faced by us all on the journey called life. Thanks for visiting. Please leave some crack...um...I meant some comments.
View my complete profile