The Best Stuff Ever!

It's been a while since I've made an addition to my Best Stuff Ever list. So far I've listed Ravioli in a can, best friends, gymnastics, wonderful hubby guys, and puppies and kitties.

The next best thing I can think of really would require smello-feelo-vision to adequately give it justice. You'll have to settle for a two dimensional representation.


I love crisp (not cold) fall days. I love the sweet rustling sound the fall colored leaves make as they blow in the breeze. I love the color of the sky in contrast to the pretty red, orange and yellow leaves. I wish I could describe the smell of fall. I love that too.

I'm very grateful that I live in a place as gorgeous as Virginia. The fall season is spectacular. I lived in Florida for 10 years. Fall doesn't happen there the way it does here. Those years there make me really grateful for what I have now in terms of seasons.

A Song for Ya

(All sung in a very hearty munchkin brogue)

Ding Dong the Brat is moved
He's met his match
He's been reproved

Ding Dong
The bratty Brat got moved!

As much as I would love to make several more verses to this particular poem, that's all I've got.

Hopefully I can be done with this topic now.

Brat Poison!

This morning I invented something in my head.

I do this all the time.

Years ago when I worked at a hospital I invented an "Invisibubble". You put it on and zip it up and it makes it so that you can pass through hallways undetected, thusly freeing you from the mindless small talk people feel is necessary to not appear rude. I also invented the "Stealth Suit". It works much the same but gets you places much faster!

This morning I invented Brat Poison. You feed it to children like the little kid that continues to harass my first grader. (No he hasn't been moved yet!!!) It won't kill him. It will only make him obedient and sweet. It will also get rid of his tendencies toward being an evil predator. Doesn't it sound wonderful?

Hidden Agenda!

I often wondered when I was kid why my mother bought herself really trendy cute clothes and bought me hideous specimens that I didn't care to be seen in.

I think I've figured it out.

On Saturday I bought the Oldest some new clothes. I try to buy cute yet very modest clothes for her. I do a decent job of picking out what she likes. Well.....

I think I did too good of a job. She looked really cute yesterday.

My conversations with her this school year have had more and more to do with boys. Apparently she's very highly sought after "girlfriend" material this year. Now before you go freaking out, understand that in 6th grade having the designation "boyfriend/girlfriend" doesn't mean anything. It's just a designation and there's no acting on it. She knows full well that she won't be allowed to "date" until high school and even then there will be MAJOR rules involved.

That being said..... I'm working hard on helping her understand that she doesn't need a boyfriend. I'm trying to teach her to stand on her own, be confident, etc. It's very difficult. But... she's so darn cute. I don't think I've helped her by buying cute clothes. Hubby Guy has a point. He told me yesterday to stop helping her put outfits together. On her own she horribly mismatches things. Perhaps I should keep her looking like a dork for a little while longer.

My mother TOTALLY did that. I wasn't even cute like my oldest and she did it anyway.

It was GENIUS!

Second Wave

I promised you something light. When I wrote that I totally had a funny in my head.

But then I forgot the funny.

I remembered it again, only now it's not funny anymore.

And truthfully....the fall season... it does crazy stuff to me. First, I get organized. I've already discussed that.... Projects are ongoing.

My second wave of "fallness" consists of "taking inventory". This wave of fall activity in my head is marked with analysis. It's even set to music most of the time. The theme song of a TV show I watch is my current thinking song. It's a really beautiful tune.

Anyway... I take time to consider things. It sounds complicated, but really it isn't. It just gives me an opportunity to file away thoughts that get stuck in my mental in-box. After those are filed away I feel prepared to carry on.

Now don't go thinking I'm a crazy! What I do is very healthy.

I heard an amazing sermon once about the sabbath. The pastor guy's point was that God designed us to rest. The notion of rest is a multifaceted thing if you think about it. Anyway... he went on to break it all down. He described what it means to fully rest in God. Part of that process is talking through those thoughts that get stuck in our in-boxes. He didn't use those words. That notion is mine. It just totally fits with what he was talking about. I know you're at a loss because you have no idea what that pastor guy said. Trust me, it was AWESOME! Anyway... the second wave of fall is a kind of sabbath for me. I purposefully take the time to "take inventory". It keeps me sane.

So, I'm not meaning to be all deep and stuff. When I'm in my fall pensive mood I generally look at life differently. Although there's humor in much, it doesn't easily work it's way to the surface.

News and a Promise of Lightness

Have you ever had an experience where you were prepared for a fight but then there was no fight necessary?

That's how our meeting yesterday with the principal went. We went in armed, ready, and on the defensive. That principal is either really good at disarming people or she's not the doorknob we were told she was.

She didn't even hiccup about moving the predator out of our daughter's class. We were both floored. She agreed wholeheartedly that moving him is the best course of action. Yay!

On another note.... I realize what I've written lately has been about serious stuff. I have a lighthearted blog on it's way. I don't mean to be Debbie Downer. I've just been on a serious page in life lately.

Mama Bear is Loose and Fangs are Blazing!

OK... so last year my littlest one had the misfortune of being placed in a classroom with a horrible little child. I won't go into details but I'll just say he really cashed in on her unfortunate background. It was a tumultuous year!

We were SO EXCITED this year to find out that they were not being placed in the same class. The little one has really thrived this year. She has been excited about school. Her attitude has been great. She's learning lots of good stuff.

So last week she came home and said that the problem child was going to be in her classroom. I verified it with the teacher. A week ago yesterday he became part of her class. In the last week her attitude about school has changed. She doesn't come home sharing about what she's learning. Now she comes home saying what the problem child did and said. EVERYTHING has changed! It makes me livid.

Hubby Guy wrote a letter to the principal and we have a meeting with her this afternoon. We've heard that she's a real doorknob. That's the impression I've gotten from her the last three years that I've had children at that school. I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt but I don't have high expectations.

We are asking that the problem child be removed from our daughter's classroom. Our little one has other issues to consider. Moving her to another classroom will nullify her first grade year. I'm guessing they won't move him because they just put him in that classroom. He was moved there because of an issue with another student in his original classroom. I have a sneeky feeling that we're gonna find ourselves at an impasse.