Kid stuff

Yesterday I left work early (such a hardship) to take the kids to their school's Open House. We met the teachers and dropped off their supplies. Found out that the locker stacker thingy won't fit in DS's locker. I think I've talked DH into making him one. We found a cool design that another kid had. Of course DS is being very nonchalant about it, but I think he would be happy.

Speaking of DS, it is really driving me crazy that everyone seems to think he is already a High Schooler. He is very tall (5'7 1/2"), but don't make him older than he already is! I've had 3 people this week ask me if he was in 9th grade! Noooooo, not yet! I'm not ready to give up my baby!

After the Open House we ran home and made some dinner, then DH & I went back to school for 7th grade orientation for parents. I think this will be DS's toughest year. He has pretty much skated through school so far, getting very good grades, with minimal after school effort. Doesn't seem that way for this year. But that was what I thought last year too, come to think of it. Oh, and he has a field trip already! 4th day of class. The fun thing, they are going to a camp, which happens to be the same camp that DH & I met at, when we attended a precollege Freshman camp.

One interesting thing the teachers mentioned, if he wants to take Honors classes in High School, they suggested that he take the ACT test in February. Anyone else experience this with their kids. Should he study for that? Our high school has about 2400 students, and is ranked very high in both sports and academics, but is very competitive too. I'm really hoping and praying that both kids do well. I'd love if they both stayed in swimming (not sure DD is going to though) or some other athletics. Maybe that might lead to a scholarship. Of course academics comes first, and their are scholarships there too...

I left the orientation early to go to the Annual Swim Team meeting. It was very informative. They asked me to run for the Board of Directors, which I did. Since there were the same number of parents resigning as joining, that worked out. The President later asked me to be Treasurer. That should be fun. The fun thing, the meeting was held at a local wine shop. After the meeting we stayed to socialize a bit, and I had a yummy glass of Sangria.

Today DS starts swim practice with the Senior group. He was moved up before he turned 13, which is the standard cut off, based on his incredible improvement and performance since the beginning of the year. He is incredibly excited, and a little nervous.

DD doesn't start swim practice until Sept 13, but she is also going to be playing organized basketball at her school. Should make for an interesting Fall.

Yes, summer is over. *sigh*

Blogging is fun

Ok, I think I am getting the hang of this blogging thing. It is way fun. Don't get any work done, but have lots of fun. Thanks for making me feel so welcome too!

Upcoming Peep Meet

I am very excited to be able to host a mini peep meet! Sept 8 at my house! We are expecting around 7-8 peeps to join us.

I was a little worried at first. I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Kim & I were talking about this some time ago, and how it would be fun to get together with peeps in the area, and it just spawned into this meet. But I guess if anyone is offended, that is their problem, not mind. I opened it to everyone who might want to come anyway.

So I was trying to decide on some food to have, and was at a friend's house. They asked why I needed some ideas, and I explained I am meeting a bunch of people I don't know. Gave more details, and that we had invited them to spend the night in our house. My friends were appalled! "You don't know who these people are, they could be axe murderers" and "Are you going to hide all your valuables". At which point DH piped up that we don't have any valuables, well, except the kids, and if they stole them they would have to drive them to swim practice 4-6 times a week, so in the end they wouldn't take them anyway. I had to LOL. DH, the one who was very opposed to meeting anyone from the box. Now, after having met PRE, Wallflower, EMTBGirl and Brown Roach, he is looking forward to meeting more!

One of my other friends, who has met peeps online through a sheepshead site, warned me about the reactions of our other friends. And they did reference him as well, that we were as crazy as him.

I'm so happy that I am not as short sighted and closed minded as some people I know! Getting to know my online friends, even if it is just online, has greatly enriched my life, expanded my horizons, and really helped me to see things from different perspectives. Also to see how truly blessed I am.

Happy Birthday

To my husband! Now we are the same age again!

Since the Packers are playing, we won't be going out for a special dinner. I am going to try a new recipe that Qwertypie gave me for Oven Crisped Orange Chicken. It is gluten free, and I know DH has missed eating fried chicken. I have all the ingredients except for orange juice concentrate, so I'll have to stop on the way home.

I'm also picking up an ice cream cake that I had made for him. Normally these cakes have this yummy cookie crumble inside, but that has gluten, so I had them remove it.

He asked for a GPS, so I found a decent priced Garmin Nuvi 350. It is smaller than mine, has more features, and of course was cheaper. Go figure.

I hate allergies and school supplies

I have been sneezing all day. I even took a dang allergy pill. Unsure if it is August allergies, a cold, or due to the dust created by the electrician who installed a strobe light fire alarm in my office this morning. Stoopid fire marshall guy. I think he has it out for us. I do usually have more allergy attacks during April & August. So far this month it has been nearly nonexistant. I figured the anti oxidant stuff I was taking this summer really did help. So much for that.

Happy Monday. Last night DD commented on how weekends always go by so fast, and that they should be longer. Couldn't agree more. So far I have no reasons to leave work early this week. *sigh*

Yesterday we spent 1 1/2 hours at Walmart buying school supplies. $150 down the drain. We even had a few things that we could reuse. By the time we left, I noticed that each kid had somehow managed to finagle a few extra things they really didn't need either.

Now I know why we always have done School Pak before. I think I would have saved money in the end. But then I wouldn't have had that wonderful bonding experience with my kids. (end sarcasm)

Beginning of the end...

for my business, that is. I've been feeling more and more done with it over the past 8 months. I still love candles, but I feel my life is going in a different direction for now.

I'm not willing to give it up completely. Not willing to say "I quit". But I'm not actively seeking home shows anymore. Of course that means I will be getting a lot of calls to have shows. That is ok, but I'm not actively growing my business. I figure I will still take care of my current customers and their candle needs, and that is about it.

I was listening to a Fergie song, and realized that part of it described how I feel about PL right now.

(I need) ...to be with myself in center, clarity, peace, serenity
I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, myself and I
We got some straightening out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've gotta move on with my life...

I do realize some of my feelings stem from the problems our family is dealing with now, especially between DH and myself. But I honestly believe that I have been feeling more and more ambivalent about my business for a lot longer. I'm getting more involved with the kids' activities, namely swim. I'm running for election to the Board of Directors of the swim team, and if I am elected, I am hoping they ask me to be the treasurer. It isn't as hard as it seems, since the club has a finance person, but I would still be overseeing that aspect.

With the contact list I have, I figure I could always pick it back up. But for now, doing home shows isn't fun anymore. I always said if it wasn't fun, I would stop.

State 12 & Under Swim meet

Wow! What a weekend! So I missed Friday's events. I couldn't catch an earlier flight home from Houston, and then my flight was delayed nearly 1 1/2 hours, so I got home around 12:30am. But the rest of the weekend was fantastic!

DS swam in 7 individual and 4 relay events. He finished with 5 individual ribbons and 4 relay placements, including a 3rd place finish in the 400 meter freestyle relay! It was the very last heat of the very last event on the very last day of the meet. I'm sure all the boys were tired, but our team was sick of coming in 4th or 5th throughout the meet. They all swam their fins off, and it ended up being a close race, with our boys narrowly beating out another team who had consistently beat them! DS was so proud (as were we!). Our boys were only 1 of 2 relay top 3 finishes by our team (there were 12 total relays). It was so great to see him standing on the podium. That had been his goal, to get on the podium at least once. For relays, only the top 3 are honored like that, with places 4-6 getting a ribbon. Individual races have the top 8 finishers stand on the podium, while the top 16 get ribbons.

We now have a month off. I'm looking forward to not having to chase to the pool every day! Both DS & DD have expressed some interest in doing some laps during open swim. Guess they are dedicated after all!

I'll post a pic as soon as I get one. We only had our video camera, and asked others to send us pics if they have them.

Later this month I expect to be elected to the Swim Team Board of Directors. There are 3 people resigning their positions, and 3 interested in taking on a position, so it won't be a real election. I'm looking forward to getting more involved. (Did I just write that out loud?)

**side note**
I'm really looking forward to the upcoming WI etal peep meet. Anyone is welcome. Will you be there?