Happy Friday once again. How has this week been to you? How did voting go for you? Did it end up the way you wanted to? We got our school levy passed so we’re all thrilled here. It didn’t pass by much but it passed. *WHEW* As far as politics, I’m not thrilled with anyone right now so happiness…….I’m not feeling it.
My brother is coming this weekend. He didn’t come last weekend since this one was supposed to be warmer and I think they have “one more round of golf” on the brain. Ella has a grooming appointment for 9 AM Saturday. Jeesh…..Had I known it would be such a busy weekend I wouldn’t have made it but I make it when I leave from the previous haircut and besides, it’s time. Every time she shakes there are little puffs of hair everywhere.
One more thing I’d like to mention is I started swimming. I plan to go 3 or 4 times a week. So far so good. I like it a lot because the air temp and the water temp are the same and it’s set at 87 so it’s never cold. I was swimming laps the other day and if felt really neat. They have a wall of windows on the west side of the building and as I swam I could feel the sun shining on my face. It may sound silly but it felt good.
What’s skakin will all of you? How was your week and what are your weekend plans?
Us Girls..Our Views 
I’m very happy for you guys that the school passed the vote! We just got back from a Tastefully Simple party. Boy am I full!!! They have very yummy dips and goodies to try. My favorite was the garlic garlic dip. So delicious but yet very very strong! I can still smell it on my breath. Of course I had to get it though 🙂
Saturday I work in the am, of course! Then later on in the evening we are going out with some of my co-workers to celebrate my 27th b-day. Going to eat a Ciattis Ristorante in St. Cloud then going back to my boss’ house to par-tay! lol Sunday I think we are going up to my sister’s house to help with Christmas stuff. Yup I said it, Christmas decorations! lol
Joy, I am so glad to hear that you are swimming and that you like it! I need to find/make some time to get my butt back in gear! We are just so freaking busy!
This Saturday we have a Girl Scout event during the day and that evening I am actually going out with some friends of mine! A girl’s night out and boy do I need it!
Thanks JAM. I need to make this a habit. I feel better when I go.
Have a great weekend. I’d love a girls night out.
Congrats on getting that levy passed! I was crossing my fingers for you.
The election was pretty satisfying overall, but that one doofus in my congressional district is still in! Boo! (You would all roll your eyes or chuckle if I mentioned his name.) That was a long shot, though. I have no idea why, but he never seems to have any serious competition. This time I think he got about 60%. I was also bummed that Harry Reid survived. Oh, well, no point dwelling on the negatives when there were so many positives (though that’s what the liberal media wants us to do). I see Marco Rubio as a man to watch going forward.
That’s great about the swimming. I try to take my kids swimming one evening per week, and it seems to be really good exercise, though I have to stay in the shallow water with my kids the whole time. I might try to go two days a week during the cold months. But it’s not easy, considering that I pick the girls up at 6:30 and their bedtime is 8:30.
This past week has been colored with some illness and difficulty sleeping. I have been working on a couple of projects that seem like they are never going to be done. I have to finish one of them tonight, as I’m going to be in meetings tomorrow a.m. and then out of town for the weekend. Being behind on sleep and not feeling great – and knowing I will be driving until about midnight Friday night – I am not too thrilled about the prospect of staying up to work on this thing.
Tomorrow I have to get the kids up early, drop them at school at 7am, and attend a 7:30 meeting downtown (in a suit, yuck). Later I will quit work early to drive the girls to my parents’ town, where my niece is starring as the “white rabbit” in Alice in Wonderland. Then we will turn around and drive in the other direction to a kiddy resort where there is a get-together for kids adopted from my girls’ birth country. My sisters and baby niece will join us. Hopefully we will do some swimming and other fun stuff and then drive back home on Sunday p.m. At that point one of our foreign employees will have arrived to stay at my house for the next week. Should be interesting trying to get my kids ready for school in the morning with this dude around (and with Mr. [Permanent] Houseguest sleeping in the living room instead of his usual basement room).
Next Tuesday, I have a meeting with an official at a charity that I used to volunteer for before I had kids. It’s a really worthy organization so I want to maintain ties, but there isn’t much I can do with my kids underfoot. They do have a volunteer activity that the girls should be able to do next year, but not yet. Anyhoo, we’ve made it a tradition to bring some donations after Halloween. No big deal, but I want to get the kids into the idea. So tonight we went through their Halloween loot and separated out the stuff they really wanted to keep and the stuff they would donate. I will add some surplus stocking-stuffer type stuff that I have left over from last Christmas, and maybe some other things. The director will meet us Tuesday evening and give the girls a tour and a little talk about what the donations are for. (I do donate cash to them every year as well, so it’s not that I’m totally cheap.) I’m looking forward to this, as I feel the girls are getting old enough to understand, and hopefully the early exposure will shape the way they think. (Though I do pray that they don’t have the “liberal gene.”)
OK, there are probably other things going on, but this is long enough. I hope everyone has a great weekend and next week.
Oh, one thing I want to ask people’s thoughts on. My kids are going to be baptized soon (the water on the head, not dunking). They are 4-ish. I am wondering, what would be appropriate attire for this? I have their Easter dresses, and I went shopping online for sweaters to match. The only sweater I liked was on a pretty, poofy, cream-colored dress, which was on a good sale. So I bought a couple of the dresses. (I thought they could be their Christmas dresses if I could find some nice red sweaters.) Turns out the sweaters don’t work with the Easter dresses, but I really like the new dresses.
So . . . is it ridiculous for a little girl to go to her baptism wearing something fit for a wedding or other very festive event? What would you do? (Nobody will be there but family and friends (and the pastor) anyway, but . . . .)
Absolutely, dress them up. Aside from the “cute factor”, which is always a plus… dressing up for an event conveys the importance. I make Josh wear collared or solid-color shirts to school every day. Sort of “business casual” attire, although I let him wear jeans as long as the knees are patched (THAT was a losing battle from the start… intact jeans). Anyway, when he gripes about it, that others can wear silly t-shirts and whatnot, I tell him that school is a place for work, and he will dress appropriately. I feel like it’s setting him up for success in the future – dressing right for church, work, and other “events”.
So yeah, go with the fancy dresses. It’s a special occasion, and that calls for special clothes.
This is a very special time so you should dress them to the hilt! Take a look at Christening gowns and I bet your awesome dresses will be just that – awesome! Congrats!
I love the sound of the dresses. YES, let them dress up.
Joy, Where you swimming at?
I was excited for the elections to come this year, was really hoping for our sheriff to win, which he did, yeaaaaaa and i was watching the school levy closely. I was up till 3AM watching the results. (crazy i know) which was slower then a turtle walking thru molasses.
It’s called the Annandale Wellness Center. It’s a 55+ but since I have a lung disease, they let me join. I’m only a few years away anyway. They have a nice weight room too with treadmills and TV’s and even a coffee bar. You interested in going? I’d love the company. You can also go 24 hours a day. I have a key fob that lets me in whenever we want to go.
Sounds nice the place you are swimming Joy. You inspired me to give swimming a chance for my back. I did go with a little kicking and screaming. I know I’m a little old for kicking and screaming but it is what is. I was really plesantly surprised at like you said how warm the air is and how warm the water was. Shocking I had braced myself for cold air and cold water. It also felt good just to move my body in the water. I could see how that it could be helpful for my sore back. So Thank You Joy for inspiring me to go. Glad to hear about your school levy passing. It was a good voting turn out here.
Boy has everyone else had an seemingly long week?! I’m so happy it’s Friday. This evening the kids (Bailey and Emily) are having their fall portraits done. We’ll be going winter coat shopping too. Thankfully I bought his snow pants last year in a size 12/14, so they still fit. I can’t say I am looking forward to having their pictures though. Every single time we have an issue with Emily. She pouts so bad, and when she doesn’t want to do something, we simply won’t. We’re going to try to leave before her dad gets home though, so we can leave without him. Sad? Yea, but we all know we have a better chance at her being in a better mood without him around. I swear to you though, if she pulls this crap again, I’m done doing things with her for a good while. We’ll see!
Saturday, well I wanted to go out to the parents (Paul & Joy’s) for a visit, it’s been a while since we’ve seen everyone. But Jason has had a long, hard week, at work and in the gym so he’s beat. I can’t say I blame him, we have had a very long week. I just miss them, is all. 😦 You don’t really realize it, day by day, but we’ve gone quite a long time without seeing each other. Baseball I think it was, the last time we saw you guys. And Toby and Sue, I can’t even tell ya the last time we saw them! Life kinda passes you by without even realizing it.
Sunday, Bailey is going to the Vikings game with a friend and his family. He’s excited. He’s never been to a Vikings game!
So, that’s our weekend.
I’m so glad you like that Wellness Center, it’s so good for both you and Paul to get out and swim, and get some exercise. And it’s nice that you can go any hour of the day or night! I’d love that!!!! You’ll feel so much better! Have fun with Uncle Darryl this weekend!
I know what you mean about Emily and I feel bad and to make it worse, you have to see her all the time and now these things are bugging you so much that she only has to be snotty for a second and it puts you over the edge. It would be nice if you could take a break from her. It’s got nothing to do with love. She’s just bugging you now but I’m with you so completely on the portrait deal. It’s not fair AT ALL to Bailey to be subject to that and how must he feel to have to sit there and “look happy” with all the drama going on?
I miss you guys too. We’ll do something soon. Since we closed the cabin we haven’t really seen anyone. I’m so happy for Bailey to get to see a game. He’s going to have a blast there. YEAH!!!!!!!
Let’s hope I can keep the swimming up. It sure feels good when I go and I really like how clean it is there and how nice the locker rooms are. I love the showers too. They’re hard to explain but there are two shower curtains and you can open one of them up after you’re done and dress in this little area with one more curtain giving you privacy. I HATE dressing in front of other people so I love that. It’s a very clean and nice place and the windows too make it so nice.
Sounds like you are getting near the breaking point with Miss Emily. Of course I’m not there, but I personally would not have her portraits done if she’s going to be such a brat. She’s old enough to understand that it’s a consequence of her behavior, and chances are, she’ll be sorry and learn a lesson. Portraits are nice, but not essential to life. I’ve never taken my girls, just because I’d rather do my own photos at home.
I know just what Joy means when she says it’s worse since you’re with her all the time. There are times when I have zero tolerance for the smallest whine from one of my kids. Which in our case isn’t always fair (and doesn’t always help), but I’m human. So I understand how you feel. Good luck. Let’s all hope that our four-year-olds discover the benefits of being pleasant, and soon!
SKL~ I am NOT paying for them…it’s my moms thing! She wants them done. I prefer fun snap shots in frames, more than the fake back ground posed ones. But grandma wants them, so grandma gets them.
I’m personally not used to the girl attitude. Yes, I have been a nanny for many little girls in the last 5 years, and have many nieces. But I’m not used to really having to deal with such snottiness. And that’s just it, she is old enough to know how to act properly, especially in public. Bailey never had melt downs, he never threw fits when he didn’t get his way…we got lucky that way. I’m usually a pretty patient person when it comes to kids, but she is most definitely pushing it with me!
Yeah, I know what you mean about getting lucky with your son. It’s a good thing you have daycare experience, or you might drop-kick your niece to the moon (that’s what I kid my girls about doing). My kid sister was so “perfect” (until she was 6 or so), I was convinced that it was because she was raised right and not just her inborn personality. Well, I was wrong! Funny thing is, my kid brother (older than baby sis) was a little brat, and I just thought he was the exception to the rule. (Well, according to my mom, he might have been switched at birth.)
My girls were programmed with plenty of drama. In most ways, it’s fun. In some ways, . . . let’s just say I’m planning my 4-year sabbatical to Tibet to start on my kid’s 13th birthday.
Oh, I just remembered the restaurant scene last night. I seriously couldn’t believe it. Mostly silent, but my kid transformed into some kind of writhing alien. I was literally saying “who are you and what have you done with my daughter?” Which made her crazier. Here’s hoping she remembers the consequences the next time she gets that idea into her head.
Oh Joy!!I am so glad your doing the swimming thing and liking it!I look so forward to our time in AZ so we can go to the gym there and swim.We went just about everyday last winter..I LOVE it.Though that pool is outside but always heated very nicely.Yes,You’ll start feeling so good and that will keep you wanting to go!So wish I had something closer here.Oh and that curtain for privacy sounds wonderful!!I hate how the change rooms are where we go.I put my suit on at home but after the swim Ill grap my clothes and head into a bathroom stall if the change room has others in it.WHY on earth do they think we all want to change in front of others?I hate that!
Its been a long week for us.Alot going here.My hubby is so busy with work too and will work tomorrow so it makes for a short weekend together.Probably veg sunday.Hope you all have a good weekend.
That is really nice Karen. It’s a nice little area with a shelf and hooks for your clothes. Nobody wants to look at my flabby butt. I don’t even want to so this is nice. I’ve never liked locker rooms or changing in front of other people. EVER!
I couldn’t agree with you more about getting dressed in front of others. I usually take the girls into a “family changing room.” Although those really are for parents with opposite-sex kids, at the hours we go, there usually aren’t more than 2 “families” there. Even in our own room, the girls make comments, but at least it’s just between us three.
I’m the odd woman out here, I guess… Maybe it’s because my dad was a gym rat/PE Teacher, I spent a LOT of time as a kid in one locker room or another. Came to realize that everyone has the same bits, and really… nobody is looking at anyone else’s, unless hers is THAT spectacular. And you don’t see that very much. I’ve always found that we’re too busy chatting and getting on with it to really be self conscious. Comes in handy – I’m usually out before everyone else, because I’m not waiting for the dressing room.
This was my first week home from the resort since April. I’m still adjusting to life in a home with a foundation. LOL
I got a call this morning that “the gang” is getting together for a bonfire at the resort tonight so I will be heading out there for some fun!! 🙂
Have a great weekend everyone!!
My in-laws are coming out this weekend, so today, I’m doing the crock-pot thing (italian beef sandwiches) and running through the house, straightening up. Fortunately, I’ve pretty much kept up on the cleaning this week, so it’s not as big a disaster as it usually is. Mostly just picking up stray papers and attempting to contain the Halloween Candy that seems to be oozing from every crack in the house.
Beyond that, I really don’t know what we’re doing for the weekend. Usually, we end up swimming at their hotel for one afternoon, but we don’t have plans for the rest of the time.
What are Italian beef sands????
Have fun with the in laws.