Sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I have discovered the source of my lack of creativity....it is called lack of sleep.  Last night for the fourth night in a row, I had less than two hours of sleep.  Try to go to sleep early....maybe I sleep for the first 30 minutes....then I wake up and am up until 4.  Since the alarm goes off at 5:30, this is not the best scenario.  Melatonin did not even do it for me last night and I cannot take Ibuprofen or Tylenol this week as I am having a colonoscopy on Friday....  You think the thought of the prep and procedure has something to do with my sleeplessness....I could go to sleep right now but that would not work since it is 8:00AM and my work day is just starting. 
Thanks for listening.....time to go to ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!  Oops sorry I dozed off for a minute.

Someone important....

Last week and again this week, JBM had a writing assignment where he was asked to write about someone important in his life. We started by making a long list of options....should I be concerned that I had to twist his arm to add his Mom and Dad. I was concerned that we were not obvious choices......
Anyhow, the list was narrowed down to three people...Grandpa, Cool J (Ellen's son) and our Colonel friend at West Point. The Colonel was the choice both times. When he was done with his pieces, the thing that impressed me the most was JBM's reasoning...."the Colonel is important to me because he lives his life to guarantee the freedom and safety of mine." For a child who hates to write this is a rather profound point....and very true.

Sandwich...

No this is not a recipe.....I wish it were.

I was thinking yesterday about why I have not blogged in such a long time. It is mostly because I am a member of the sandwich generation and I am the filling of the sandwich. My Mom is 93 and my son is 10. Trying to balance their lives and mine is a daily challenge....

I love my life and everyone in it but there are times I resent not having a few moments to breathe. Soon enough I know I will have plenty of time when Mom is no longer with us and Junior Bird Man is out of the house.....I relish the days I have now....but my Gold status at Kohl's is in jeopardy!

Let's try this again.....

If I still have any followers, you most likely noticed that I have not blogged in several months. Somehow. coming up with something witty and interesting to write about each day lost its appeal for a bit and life seems to have taken over....but enough whining....I am going to try again to be entertaining or at least get some thoughts out of my mind to share with those who still care.

Until tomorrow........

New Season

After a brief hiatus and marked absence of sports participation....the new season starts today. Baseball! FlyBoy is not managing the team this year but is assisting as a coach. The jury is still out on the manager....and the team but JBM is happy to be back "into the swing of things." I think that was a pun intended on his part.

Happy Monday. Will have some vacation photos to share later this week of a surprise encounter for JBM and me.

Better Days?!

So I am hoping that this week will bring some better days....nothing life shattering going on but a few things that have left me feeling less than enthusiastic.....

Got the results of the school nurse certification exam that I spent six months studying for....I missed passing the exam by one question! So I spent some time this weekend dusting off the books and making a plan to study some more and take the exam again in August.

Had some "minor" oral surgery last Tuesday. Saturday night it occurred to me that six days later, my mouth should not still be swollen, I should not look like I am carrying a golf ball around in my mouth, my mouth should not be throbbing and it should not be warm to the touch....can you spell infected! Now on antibiotics for 24 hours and feeling much better. The packing comes out tomorrow and I hope that the graft took! Glad this happened with the last surgery and not the first.

On a happy note....it is Spring. Although I did drive through snow on the way to work today.

Happy Monday!

And a week later......

Last night was the Squirt House championship game against the Devils. JBM's team is the Rangers. The Rangers were flat and the team's goalie looked like he wanted to be somewhere else.....JBM and his line played their hearts out but the team lost 2-0. The Rangers were robbed of a goal in the third period by the referees but that is what live sports is all about.

Lots of tears at our house last night and in the locker room after the game....it is hard to watch but you've gotta love the passion! TSAnnie tells me that the tears will shift from JBM to me some day....that has already happened.

On to baseball.........waiting to see what team he will be on. FlyBoy has chosen not to manage this year.

Good sports day......

In between school work and CMTs, JBM loves and plays sports....recess and team.

Yesterday was a good sports day in our house......at recess JBM scored the only touchdown in the football game and won the game for his team. Hockey playoffs started last night....I normally do not go to the games but thought I should go to the playoffs. Did not arrive until the beginning of the second period but arrived just in time to see JBM score a break away goal! Yeah.

On a side note, FlyBoy has asked me not to come to any more games as I am a bit too enthusiastic with my cheering.....boo hoo. However, I was the first one to notice that there were not enough kids on the ice for one of the shifts and my voice carried better than everyone else to get the coaches attention and JBM on the ice in time for an assist. The head coach thanked me later.

I guess living with a mother who is profoundly deaf has some benefits :0

Happy Wednesday.

School Haiku

Everyone seems to be thinking in haiku this week so I thought I would join the fun?! Here is mine:

School hurts at age nine
March is now CMT time.
School will hurt Mom more.

For those who do not know what CMTs are, the letters stand for Connecticut Mastery Tests and they are given in all schools for grades 3-8 during the month of March. Every student takes them and every bit of education that has occurred to this point in the school year is geared toward the CMTs. I cannot wait for them to be over....we will have many visits to the health office in the next two weeks (stress and exhaustion) from both students and teachers. And I will have a very tired child at home at the end of the each day.....pray for me.

The Best of Times

Today is the first day back to work after our February school break. I think it is safe to say that we all had the best of times.....
JBM spent a few days with Ellen and her hub. They went to the Liberty Science Center, bowled a few games, played miniature golf outside and had a good time all around. Of course, it does not hurt that Ellen and her hub indulge most of JBMs desires while he is visiting. We all love them for that!
FlyBoy and I get to spend a few days to ourselves and did so on the Outer Banks. The weather in February is unpredictable but there was no snow so that means everything. We took nice walks, did a little shopping and ate a fabulous dinner each night at our favorite restaurants that do not have chicken tenders on the menu.
We all are so blessed to have Ellen and her hub as our friends....they are not really friends....they are family of the best kind. Thanks to them for their kindness, hospitality and open hearts!
We all love you! You are the best!

Big Changes Ahead

In the past two weeks, I have gotten a glimpse to what lies ahead in the next school year. Normally, I try not to think ahead as it is all I can do to get through current life....but these events have left me no choice..... Last Friday, the principal of our school announced he would retire at the end of the school year. He has lead the school for the past 10 years and been an educator for over 39 years so I guess it is time. Then, yesterday, my immediate boss announced she would be retiring at the end of the school year. Needless to say, next year could prove to be very different....but I am up for the challenge and, no, I have absolutely no interest in taking my bosses place!

On a thankful note, the Mom of the child who is currently in preschool and is a brittle diabetic told me the other day that she is considering leaving him in preschool for one more year. That would be a big relief for me.

Happy Friday everyone....more snow is on the way....UGH!

iPad Obsessions

Santa was kind enough to bring me an iPad this past Christmas. Since then I have a set of new obsessions (as if I needed more). My most favorite is playing Words with Friends. It is an electronic version of Scrabble that you can plan with other iPad and iPhone users. I have had an ongoing game with TSAnnie. So far she has beat the pants off of me every time....of course she does not have a nine year old playing in her absence. The concepts of Double/Triple letter and Double/Tripple word placement escapes JBM. He is just so happy to be able to play a word for me and proud to find a new way to use his growing vocabulary and help his Mom at the same time.....gotta love it!

With another storm on the horizon.....

Here is my question for each of you today......

Washington, DC

A trip to Washington, DC for business turned into an exciting opportunity for JBM and FlyBoy. I left on Tuesday and they joined me on Thursday. Not without some drama at home as FlyBoy had to find alternate care for Hope before he left. Once they arrived, they had a wonderful time. Our Congressman helped get them a tour of the Pentagon and the Capital Building. They also visited the top of the Washington Monument and Arlington Cemetery. Together we took a night tour of the city which was wonderful.

It was a wonderful bonding experience for the boys and we also enjoyed interstate train travel which none of us had ever done before. I think we may have found a great alternative to traveling by plane....within reason of course.

Unfortunately, we were not invited to dinner at the White House. Maybe next time.......

Man's Best Friend

Our weekend was filled with emotion. We said good bye to our special pet, Hope, yesterday. She was 14 years old and had been steadily declining in health. By Monday morning, she was no longer walking well or eating. We were all with her (incluing JBM) and she went peacefully.

This is never an easy decision but we went to bed last night knowing we had a new guardian angel to watch over us.

We love you sweet girl!

The First Gift of Christmas

We visited with Ellen and her hub this weekend for their annual Holiday Open House. It is always such a fun time as they have a wonderful group of friends and neighbors.

While visiting, JBM received his first gift of Christmas. No it was not a silver bell that only those of us who believe in Santa can hear. JBM had seen Ellen with a LED book light and thought how nice it would be to have for those days when he starts (or finishes) his homework in the car. So, that is what he received and he also has a new lap desk for the car.

The first official use of the desk....writing a letter to Santa on our way home yesterday!

Thanks to Ellen and her hub for a great weekend and a wonderful gift! Both will be well used and loved!

Copycat Meme

Ellen and Kate at Chronicles of a Country Girl have this meme on their sites and I loved it so I will play along too!

1. Hot Chocolate or Apple Cider? Definitely hot chocolate or as Fly Boy and Ellen's hub would say hot chauwcolate (northern NJ accents).

2. Turkey or Ham? Love turkey but Christmas dinner needs to be beef.

3. Do you get a fake or real-you-cut-it yourself Christmas tree? We do fake as I am highly allergic to pine. We do go to the local tree farm to enjoy the festivities.

4. Decorations on the outside of your house? Lighted wreaths and a blow up of Santa flying a helicopter. Would you expect anything else?

5. Snowball fights or sledding? Sledding

6. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping? We do not have a downtown for shopping and I hate the mall but I do try to shop with the vendors in town.

7. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night

8. How do you feel about Christmas movies? Love to watch them and our family favorite is Miracle on 34th Street. It has to be the original one with Natalie Woods.

9. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music? Before the decorations go up in our house....Thanksgiving weekend.

10. Stockings before or after presents? After...we used to do them on Christmas Eve but with JBM that cannot be done any more.

11. Carolers, do you or do you not watch and listen to them? We do not have any in our area...they would get killed trying to maneuver our road.

12. Go to someone else's house or they come to you? We have Christmas Eve at our house and go to my Brother's on Christmas Day.

13. Do you read the Christmas Story? If so, when? We read both the Christmas Story and the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve.

14. What do you do after presents and dinner? Get in the car and head to the OBX for the rest of the week.

15. What is your favorite holiday smell? Cookies baking.

16. Ice skating or walking around the mall? Always prefer to be outside!

17. Do you open present or presents on Christmas Eve or wait until Christmas Day? Christmas Eve with my extended family and Christmas Day with our little family.

18. Favorite Christmas memory? The first year that JBM took piano lessons, he learned Silent Night for the Christmas recital and it made FlyBoy cry......I love it.

19. Favorite part about winter? Playing in the snow with JBM and then having hot chocolate in front of the fire when we are done.

20. Every been kissed under the mistletoe? Yes. The one kiss I miss the most is the one from my Dad.

Let's keep playing!

"I don't want to go to school, Mom."

I know we have all either said this to our parents or heard it from our kids over time. Up until this week, I had never once heard it from JBM. These words came out of his mouth on Monday morning and I was shocked! Fourth grade has been challenging. While the work load is not much different, the teacher is...... We went from warm and caring with lots of re-enforcement to aloof and no re-enforcement at all! The other night, I walked into JBM's room to check in while he was doing his homework and found him crying. Just rip my heart out on the spot!

So what do FlyBoy and I see as a result.....self-confidence is plummeting and the desire to do those things he loves outside of school (hockey and piano) are being self questioned as he thinks he no longer has time....excuse me? As a nine year old child, should JBM be soul searching the rest of his life and giving up what he loves? I don't think so.

School conferences are this week and somewhat to my relief, I am hearing similar things from other parents in the classroom. I guess I feel comfort in numbers and we have all decided we need to say something to both the teacher and the administration. Being a member of the school staff, I have to be careful what I say and how I say it. Hmmmm...maybe I need to leave that up to FlyBoy.

We all remember those one or two teachers we loved and hated for the rest of our lives. Guess JBM is starting his list....

As always, thanks for listening...I feel better now.

On Line Education

As I mentioned in my prior posting, I started an online class two days ago. Similar to college, I started the class with an assignment that was due for that class that had been posted one hour prior to the class.....HUH? As an adult, I have other things going on in my life and surprises like this are not always easy to manage.

So here is what I think of on-line education so far:

1. Students need a primer before the class starts on the teachers expectations.
2. How are we supposed to know what criteria to choose for posting and what our role is in the on-line application we are using (student was not one of the options)?
3. It is always comforting to know that you are not the most technically challenged in the class.
4. Nurses are technology challenged in general and like to complain about it to anyone who will listen!
5. I had the role of Help Desk geek during class the other night as I was one of two participants who had logged in ahead of time and palyed around with the application.
6. Attending class through a chat room is weird and un-natural.....but the reality of our life today.
7. I need a new computer.....my computer could not handle a podcast, powerpoint presentation and a chat room all at the same time.....Santa, are you listening?!

Now I have homework to do that is due in three hours.....not going to happen.

Happy Friday!

A new first...

Hey all....I am back. Don't know how often but I could not stand the guilt I felt by looking at the date of my last post and the sideways pickles one more minute!

Anyhow, I am starting an online class tonight at a university in Seattle. I have never been to school on-line before nor have I ever attended a university in Seattle before. It is a review course of a national certification for school nurses. Several of my friends have asked me why I am taking the course and taking the four hour exam. Passing the exam does not earn me any more money or distinction. This is one of those things that I am doing just for me. Studying the ins and outs of school nursing will improve my skills and knowledge in many ways and that will make me a better care taker for the kids at school. Maybe some day the certification will also mean more money.....but until then, it is just for me!

Another new first, I have been asked to present at a national conference. I applied to be a trainer for Managing Asthma Triggers and was accepted! If the school district approves my attendance, I will be headed to Washington DC in January. Not the best time of year but I see this as a great opportunity to stretch my skills.

Finally, my boss is going away this weekend to New Orleans and has asked me to step in as her sub on an elementary school level. She has never asked me before. If she thinks she is grooming me to take her place.....NOT!

Now if I could just find the time to download some awesome pictures from my life in the past three months, I can get this whole blog thing started again.