Foto Friday: Smiles

Not that my blog has any direction, especially with my lack of posting, but today I decided to have a Foto Friday post.  A post specifically posted on Friday of things/photos that make me smile!  Per my usual though, most of them are just random!

T & I returned from Arizona last Saturday evening!  We had a fabulous time and so many wonderful experiences!  We didn't even have any major mishaps (knock, knock)!  I'm still smiling from the vacation, so most are from the week in Arizona!

 

Grand Canyon: August 2010

We went to the Worldlife Aquarium & Zoo and enjoyed finding animals that were smiling.  Our two favorites:

Wildlife Aquarium: Smiling Turtle

Worldlife Aquarium: Smiling Frog

My ultimate chocolate craving and love that I can't seem to outgrow!  Of course I eat them plain & cold:

Need I say more?

My fifth and final picture, captures the beauty and serenity of Scottsdale, Arizona with my thirteen year old son, who for another moment, still thinks I'm cool and tolerable:

Scottsdale Arizona: August 2010

What photos on this fabulous Friday make you smile?

Back to School Misconceptions

LL emailed me the following that was just worthy of sharing in the light of Back to School.  Of course, it isn't only for "Mom's" but "Dad's" too!  Happy Friday!

10 MISCONCEPTIONS OF MOM'S & BACK TO SCHOOL

Misconception Number 1:

"Moms miss their kids when they go back to school Seriously. I’ve had enough of you by now. Every morning with the “what are we going to do today, Mom?” is finally over. I’ve had looked at your face twenty-four seven for the last 77 days. It’s time to go learn something. No more asking me about the pool, when is the next snack or if you can stay up late and watch a movie. It’s over….You’re going back to Hogwarts and I get to have a life again. There is a Christmas morning for parents and it’s called “back to school”.

Misconception Number 2:

Moms like to go school shopping. Are you freaking kidding me? Why do I pay taxes?…so I can rack up a 200 dollar bill at Staples for crap that we have laying around my house in junk drawers. Why does it have to be new pencils? What’s wrong with the chewed up, broken strawberry shortcake pencils sitting in the bottom of the toy box for the last 6 months? And how many subject books can you possibly need? What happened to reading, writing and arithmetic. If they added a couple of things for parents to that list I wouldn’t mind so much….why not pencils, erasers and vodka …..or some Nyquil.

Misconception Number 3:

Moms like back to school night. Why must we do this every year? I got it already. You’re the teacher…I’m the parent. My kid is either going to be smart or dumb. If he gets a certain number or colored dot on his discipline chart, he can’t get a prize from the prize box. Pretty simple stuff. Listen, I’m pretty old school. If he doesn’t listen to you…you can throw something at him. I don’t care. But I got a lot of work to do at home and I’m paying a babysitter right now. Plus, I’m pretty sure you are going to assign some project on wigwams made by some Indian tribe I’ve never heard of, so I need to get home and start my research. So, I got it. We’re all here for the betterment of the kids. Blah Blah Blah. Can I leave now?

Misconception Number 4:

Moms like school paperwork.How many trees are you planning on killing to tell me the same stuff I had to pay a babysitter to listen to the other night? You know our name, where we live and our emergency phone numbers. He doesn’t have a nickname….call him “stinkbutt” for all I care. We don’t have any “special circumstances” that you need to know about. He lives in a home with two parents who may or may not like each other at any given time and they will fight. If that qualifies as a reason he can’t get his homework done on time then he won’t be able to function as an adult and have a real job so you may want to “educate” him on that life lesson.

Misconception Number 5:

Moms like covering books in that annoying sticky paper.What exactly will you be doing with these books that I have to cover them in a plastic laminate? Do you often teach in the rain? Or while the children are drinking soda and eating soup? Do you know how long that takes? Has any parent in the history of education been able to do it without any air bubbles in it? From now on I’m covering it the old way…brown paper bags. That way I can cover the books and pack their lunches at that same time. Who says moms can’t multitask?

PS. Please tell my son if he can’t find his lunch to look in his science book.

Misconception Number 6:

Moms like helping you with your homework. What? I am scared out of my mind. I’m pretty sure that I forgot everything I learned in fifth grade by the time I was in sixth grade. I have no idea what you are talking about most days. I don’t really know my 12 times tables, I read the cliff notes to all your summer reading and I don’t know how to conjugate anything but I do know that song “conjuction junction what’s your function” if that helps at all. And please don’t even say the words “new math” to me. What the heck was wrong the old one?

Misconception Number 7:

Moms can’t wait to pack your lunch every day until we die.I hate doing laundry. Making dinner every night is the bane of my existence, so making your lunch every day for an entire year, in terms of “mom fun”, lies somewhere between brushing plaque off the dogs teeth and scheduling my annual pap smear. Listen, as a child I hated what my mom packed me for lunch. But, like every kid before me, and every generation to come you will find a kid to trade with…I’m sure someone likes sardines.

Misconception Number 8:

Moms love after school activities.I don’t know who made up this idea of organized clubs and sports but they should be the ones in charge of carting your ass around. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against all after school programs. I just wish they would offer it during hours that would work best for me so that dinner wasn’t at 8:30 at night followed by 4 hours of homework. Why not do it on the weekends and call it “after-hours activities” so mommy and daddy could actually go out one night and pretend that we have a life of our own. Don’t worry about us though I’m sure that me and “what’s his name” will be married a very long time.

Misconception Number 9:

Moms don’t mind taking you to school if you miss the bus. Your bus comes at 7:10 am….which means that you should be standing by the door at 7:05 am. Not eating breakfast , chasing the dog around the house or in the bathroom, asking me to check your homework while I’m taking a shower. Get it together! I don’t like running down the street in my jammies at 7:12 screaming “Please wait” or “If you stop I’ll show you my boobies.”

Misconception Number 10:

Moms cry on your first day of school.  We do cry but they are tears of joy. I have done my job. I have successfully kept a human child alive for at least 5 years without doing any major damage. Motherhood is the hardest job in the world!! Sure, doctors save lives and CEO’s run million dollar businesses but…you teach a kid not to poop their pants and then you can say you’ve made the world a better place.”

Small Surprises

My son and I have a very good relationship.  I don't expect or anticipate our relationship will be the same forever.  Our relationship will change and evolve and decompensate and evolve and well who knows exactly what will happen, since afterall my crystal ball is quite cloudy. 

But today, I had to smile when I looked at his Facebook profile (disregarding the spelling and minimization of his actual intelligence to be "cool"):  Born and raised as a Michigan boy. I am and was active in about every sport i could be in. Chose football over soccer when i couldn't play both. Then I got sick of losing all the time and switched to soccer. I have played baseball since I was 6, and i love it. Made the all stars every year I played at xxxxxxxxx. (6) I love playing basketball night and day since I was in 5th grade. I have loved taking vacations with my mom since I was a little kid. Good times

Yes, definitely good times.  Good times indeed.  Can't wait for our Arizona Adventure...

Online Travel Headaches

I feel like I'm going through menopause, the lack of air conditioning definitely has something to do with it!  I'm perspiring just breathing which is clearly exacerbated by making and securing decisions that involve credit card purchases and "done deals" that aren't easily changed.

I had left two messages for my son's father in regard to the ability to change weekends so my son and I could go to the Grand Canyon.  No response.  Finally, slightly more than an hour ago, I received an email from him that said that we could go, if his mom could have him the previous weekend at a time TBD AND I would get my son on Saturday instead of Sunday, the day we leave.  Details...

Then I realized that in fact my son's father wasn't responding to my email or my telephone messages, he was responding to my son's email, with the subject "vaction" and the entire email, "Can I go to Arizona pleeeeeaaaasssssseeeee".  Sometimes I'm baffled that my son is thirteen, really.

I had looked this morning and the flight had gone up an extra $50 per person.  With the last minute timeshare, there were a few new availabilities that opened up for Saturday - Saturday which meant we didn't miss out on a day and require an additional night somewhere else!  So sometimes things work out.  When I finally booked the condo, I then booked the airfare and it was only $25 more additional!  Bonus.

I decided not to opt for the "flight-car" combo thinking I could get a better deal through Priceline.com.  My price was approved and I ended up saving $27 with a mid-size car instead of the economy equivalent. 

Until...I realized that the airport I was flying into was NOT the same as where the car rental was.  Both in Phoenix, but different airport codes.  I contacted Priceline and they agreed to cancel my car rental if I rebooked.  I talked with two people and asked how could I rebook a car in a location they didn't have?  They canceled the reservation and I hope they won't charge me again as I can't rebook.

I then went back into my itinerary for my flight and added a car rental.  For $27 more, it was well worth the piece of mind.  Granted the confirmation doesn't show the airport location or any other details, but since it's connected to the reservation and booking, it must be the same (Fingers crossed!)!

Now it's just a matter of logistics of figuring out the details of the day changes with my son's father and getting my son in time to prepare to leave.  I'm guessing I will be doing last minute laundry for sure! 

I can't believe it - I will be visiting the Grand Canyon in August 2010!  Isn't life Grand?

What are you happy about?  What has made your day, month, year?

Dating Insight

Last week I went on a first date.  I had spoken with the man once on the phone before meeting.  My motto, why waste/invest time getting to know someone if there isn't any chemistry or connection?  I don't know about you, but I just don't have the time, energy or motivation (and as I used to hear as a child, to meet "every Tom, Dick and Harry").  In my case, I'm really OK if I don't meet Tom, Dick or Harry.  Besides, it seems far too often, that the people that can communicate by email, hide behind the anonymity of a computer. 

The date in retrospect was bizarre.  I actually did some research on autism and Aspergers because some of his personal communication was so odd, I needed to compare his characteristics and traits. 

Several things that stood out from any other first meeting: He asked me, "Do other people interrupt you a lot?  I just don't know when it's my turn to talk and I feel like I'm interrupting."  Granted, I can talk.  A LOT.  However, I usually do so if I'm nervous or excited, which I wasn't either.  Other times, I will do so to fill the void or when I'm telling a story.  When I explained that I felt communication was a two-way street, he didn't seem to understand.  He also seemed to be very focused on the time and verbalization of money. 

One other bizarre thing was that while we were walking on a trail in the woods, we came to a clearing.  He said, "Would you walk 20 feet in front of me (giving me the hand signal to go ahead of him)." My first thought was that he wanted to check out my butt and I was offended.  I inquired as to why and he just said "Never mind, I'll tell you about it at a later date."  Immediately the next thought I had, "OMG, this guy has to F-A-R-T!". 

One of the things from our "One and Only" (besides the fact that I tried to kill him by wanting to rollerblade 10+ miles) was he asked, "Besides honesty, what is the ONE thing you are looking for in a guy/relationship."

One thing?  Just one thing?  Of course I couldn't stop at one thing.  Obviously there is respect, communication, chemistry...so in trying to joke I said, "the package, but not THE PACKAGE, but the whole package". 

 I can't let things go.  I continued to think about the question as we rollerbladed on and he struggled to make excuses for his old blades, the fact he was at the gym in the morning, the fact his calves were killing, the fact that he was becoming short of breath...and I wondered if this man was going to make it. 

What I came up with...A CHALLENGE.

The one thing I seek for and want to find in a successful relationship is a challenge.  I want to find someone that challenges me more than I challenge myself.  Someone that challenges me to be a better person - emotionally, physically, maybe even spiritually. 

His response, "I can't challenge you emotionally or physically, but I can challenge you financially." 

This was the fourth time in less than 24 hours of our first phone call that he had thrown out financial.  He boasted about paying down $20,000 worth of debt in one-year; however, he had a live-in evening job caretaking for a paraplegic that paid his rent and bills and gave him $100 month income.  His only bills were his cell phone, his car payment and dating.  His reported his daytime income was $50-60k.  He hadn't been able to save over the past year with his living situation but felt that with his reduced debt, he would soon begin.  He felt that if he didn't date, he would be financially further, but he choose to live. 

I asked him How.  How would he challenge me financially?  What advice could he offer?  What did he suggest?  Is Dave Ramsey his new best friend? 

He couldn't answer any of the questions, other than he just did it.  At this point, I may have actually offered some of my own insight (because arrogance without cause is just unattractive and I knew this date was likely the last), as I choose not to discuss my financial situation with others, especially early on.  I looked at him as we continued to skate, he was gasping for breath, and I said, "I'm a few points shy of an 800 credit score.  So how exactly can you challenge me financially?"

It was the first time he was speechless.  He stopped gasping for breath but fortunately for me, he didn't turn blue.  Ah, first dates...

What is the one thing that you look for/require in a partner, significant other, relationship? 

Simple Pleasures...The Dollar Store

I LOVE the Dollar Tree store.  "LOVE" may be a strong word, but I think completely appropriate.  I really can't stand shopping.  I shop out of necessity: I need groceries, I need a new shower curtain (seriously!), I need an outfit, I need home improvement things...You will seldom find me window shopping or just meandering around any store aimlessly without a purpose.  Granted, to the onlooker, it may look that way, but I always have a reason, it's just sometimes I forget what brought me into the store in the first place. 

I LOVE the Dollar Tree because, I have a few spare dollars.  I would almost dare to say, "Who doesn't?", but I know that answer.  I really do.

My favorite dollar store purchase:  "Allergy": An off-brand equivalent to Benadryl Ultratab, antihistamine.  A little pink allergy pill.  They come in either a package or a bottle ranging from 24-36 tablets, for $1.  A Dollar.  I buy several at a time and keep them at work, in the junk drawer, in the linen closet, in the car, in my bag, everywhere.  They work fabulously when the allergies kick in when I'm unexpectedly around cats, crazy perfume/cologne doused individuals or I find myself around flowers/cut grass/hay.  And did I mention, the convenience of non-Kleenex requirements for the price of $1?

Of course there are other random things that I enjoy at the dollar store.  Another is the two sided sponge.  The yellow sponge with the green scrubby.  Love them!  I use them to do the dishes and they last long enough to be effective but not long enough that if I was a germaphobe that I would be concerned.  I replace them very often because afterall you can get anywhere from 6-12 of them for $1. 

I've also found that I love to purchase lip gloss or lip stick at the dollar store.  The dollar store that I go to carries Sally Hansen lipstick.  I'm not a big lipstick fan and I hate the idea of spending anywhere from $6-15 or more for a single lipstick.  And usually I have no idea if I will like the color or worse yet, the texture, the smell or the taste!  So for $1, I don't really care if I like it and if I do...BONUS!  Besides in the summer Michigan heat, I find that my lipsticks often morph into some conglomerate mess and then I'm really bummed that I finally invested and bought it!  So yesterday, I scored with three new lipsticks and I've tried two and love them!  I also picked up another chapstick/balm - chocolate chip cookie flavored.  How can you go wrong with something as yummy as that?  I have a Hot Fudge Sundae lip gloss that I had purchased a while ago at Bath and Body Works that I like, but the downfall, it's brown and messy.  So unless I have a mirror, I end up with it everywhere, seriously I am that good!

I also decided to try a new perfume.  Afterall, for $1, who cares if I don't like it on, I can throw it away!  I've been wearing Happy for the past year or is it two?, and my bottle is almost gone and I just can't succumb to the sticker shock of replacing it.  Especially if I can buy some $30 different scents for that cost.  I'm bound to like one of them before that, right?

What is your favorite dollar store purchase?

Grand Canyon

I've always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon.  I've only ever flown over it.  Last spring I flew out to Las Vegas and we drove to Bullshead Arizona for the cross country adventure but I wasn't able to go to the Grand Canyon. 

My son's dad and I each have two weeks of parenting time with our son during the summer, which we are suppose to identify those weeks by May 1, 2010.  He hasn't exercised those weeks, in years, but this year he notified me of two weeks.  Subsequently I picked the weeks in between his two weeks.  Whatever.

One of the weeks, my son will spend with my parents.  I will be with him part of the time and allow him ample time with just the grandparents.  The other week, I hope to find somewhere to go for vacation.  This morning I started looking for options through my timeshare.

Last minute availability for my timeshare will provide a week in Scottsdale Arizona, BUT the week begins on a Friday.  A Friday that would have normally been my weekend, but it is a week he is with his dad.  A great direct flight is available Saturday - Saturday.  So we would arrive a day later and pick up a night in a hotel on the tail end.  I can almost taste the air of the Grand Canyon...stifling hot in the dead heat of August, but so close to fulfilling another one of my wants.

I called my son's dad this morning to see if we could change weekends or something.  He said that he has plans for our son to be with his grandparents.  I offered to transport my son to them the weekend before.  I'm basically offering anything!  To be sure he understood the conversation, I emailed him the details, which he responded...that he gets the week vacation but weekends are still with the scheduled parents.  NO.

He really has no idea about the parenting time.  He switched at the last minute, a week that my son was primarily with me.  Which so happened to be the weekend that I was chaperoning three 13-year old boys in a hotel room for the weekend, because afterall it was my weekend.  So I said that he could have him for the week, but it was my weekend - I surely wasn't going to chaperone if my son wasn't with me! 

Now I wait.  I wait for him to call me.  I wait to see if he will be nice enough to change a weekend with me to allow my son and I to go to Scottsdale Arizona and take a day trip to see the Grand Canyon.  I'm willing to offer him almost anything!  This could be a once in a lifetime experience, especially with my 13-year old son (when he still likes me). 

I hate being at someone else's mercy.  I hate not having control.