Writer's Workshop- School Days

Top ten reasons why you’re glad you’re done with school.

Drama. The social drama of dealing with who's popular, who's not. Is your friend going to be your friend today. Or with they make you a social outcast again. I really, really detest drama.

Facebook. I am so glad they didn't have this when I was in school. Refer to the first reason and it goes hand in hand. I enjoyed being able to go home and get away from all that. Now, you're expected to have a page and have 500+ friends.

Clothing styles. I know that they say all styles rotate through generations, but they can keep the skinny jeans. They make girls like me look like a pear. I would have to opt for shorts and freeze my butt off during the winter.

Digital cameras. Growing up in the 80's we lived with film cameras and it was fun to have your photo taken and the film developed. You never knew if you weren't in some ones photos, because it wasn't digital.

Cursive writing. Many schools are not teaching this anymore. I can't wait to see the future generations signatures.

Texting and cell phones. What happened to passing notes in class and the adrenaline rush of not getting caught.? Those were the days.

Music and arts classes. School funding is in the toilet and has depleted the amount of creative arts classes from elementary school all the way through high school. One of the reasons I have my daughter enrolled in dance classes and taking art camps in the summer. Where are my ta dollars going??

Dating. It isn't the same anymore. Boyfriends breaking up with you via Facebook or texting. Where is the dignity?

I can't think of 2 more. Some things haven't changed since I went to school. So using some of the reasons wouldn't make sense for me. I pretty much focused on how different things are now to as they were over 20 years ago for me. I would never want to repeat school and go back and have to do it over now. Most of my information is derived from my own daughter going to school and my niece and nephew who are 12 and 16. You hear the horror stories about school life and the trials they have been through. It's no walk in the park, whenever and wherever you go.

Guest Posting

In lieu of a regular post today..did I just say that? Ok I humor myself, because really would I have had a regular post today. Probably not. I'm trying to figure out how to write posts when I am now going to bed at 10:00pm to be able to wake at the crack of dawn to get the kids and I ready to go to school. Little E didn't even want to wake up yesterday because after looking out his blinds from his bunk bed he says "mom, it's not even light out yet. We don't wake up yet." Poor child. I spoiled him over the summer.

So after I stop squeeeing with delight about this. I want to let you know that I am guest posting over at my dear bloggy friend's blog, Single Mom in the South. If you haven't met her, you will just love her like I do. Head over and show her some love!! Happy Tuesday y'all!

One down, Goodbye Summer

The last day of summer vacation for the kids I was trying

to keep it low key and hang inside the nice air conditioned house.
But they were bored out of their minds and I was tired of
them complaining. So I set up their kiddie pool.
It was actually bought to transplant our fish from
our fishtank but you know how everything
can get turned into a water toy.

I gave Little E his brand new side walk chalk and
told him not to get them wet. Well, Miss K wasn't present for those
instructions. I wasn't upset about it. The water and chalk kept
them occupied for almost two hours.

But the chalk didn't stay on the sidewalk. They used it as body paint!
I laughed and told them they looked like the
people from Avatar.

So the last day turned out to be quite fun for everyone. And I was
lucky enough to have worn out Little E and he fell asleep
waiting for bedtime.

So long last day of summer!
Hello to first day of school for my third grader and preschooler.

5QF: End of Summer

It's Friday!! The last Friday before school starts! Woohoo!!! We're going to meet Miss K's teacher today and I'm so excited! I think I'm more excited than she is. She is going to third grade and this is an important year. The first year of FCAT testing and it is imperative that we have a good teacher. We had an amazing teacher last year and I'm hoping we do again this year. Wish us luck!!





1. Do you close the bathroom door when you are home alone?

Nope. I usually head to my side of the house and try to go as quickly as possible. If I close the door, the kids think I'm doing something fun without them and will head in the direction of that closed door. Like, seriously, what else would I be doing in there?

2. You have to walk around with a word on your forehead. That word describes you. One word. What is it?
Spastic. I wasn't sure of the real definition so I googled it. Here is the use of it in the United States according to Wikipedia. In American slang, the term "spaz" is largely inoffensive, and is generally understood as a casual word for clumsiness, sometimes associated with over excitement, excessive energy, or hyperactivity. I usually have this excessive amount of energy and am going a mile a minute. I talk like that, drive like that, do everything like that. That's me a nutshell.

3. What store do you refuse to shop at and why?

Victoria's Secret. They do NOT make a bra in my size and panties in my size. And I'm going on a limb here I AM not that big. An extra large is not big enough to head to the plus sizes!!! I think the lady who started VS is a big old snooty b!tch.

4. If you participated in arranged marriages for your child(ren), who would you choose for your child(ren)?

Heck, I have no flipping idea!!! I don't know any boys who are Miss K's age that I find worthy enough and brave enough to be my future SIL. My BFF's son is the same age and absolutely adorable, but considering the difference in religion, they would not be able to marry. (according to her)

Little E , I have no idea again. You have to remember, the person they marry has a family and you forever become linked to them.

5. If you could pick how and when you would die, would you?

I don't want to pick when, as long as I've lived long enough to see my children marry, then I'm good. I would like to die in my sleep, just like my sweet grandmother who passed away when I was very young. I don't want to have my life linger in pain.

Summer Fun:It's almost over

Miss K and Little E being silly at my work. The showroom of my parent's business has plenty of room for them to ride their bicycles in. I was snapping shots of them riding but then they started posing for me. Back at ya Miss K!!!


Little E and Miss K stretching out at a friend's birthday party. The party was held at a local gymnasium where the kids got to run through tunnels, walk on balance beams, jump on long spring boards and jump into the foam pit! It was a fun party!


I wanted to take this photo in front of the Shamu at Sea World of my kids. It's been a tradition for the hubs an I. I have a few of myself and my husband, before kids, taken at this very spot.

This was our first attempt to take this shot of the kids this summer. It didn't go too well, thanks to the almighty bright son. Little E would not take his hands away from his face. But it's a cute reminder of one of our Sea World trips.

I am linking this photo up with Shell at Things I Can't Say for her summer link up Summer Fun Show Off . Also, Link up your Summer Fun for a chance to win prizes from Ubisoft.

Writer's Workshop: Bad Laughter

Laughter is the best medicine. Or is it? When laughing in the correct atmosphere, where it is an acceptable form of expression given the circumstances.

At a comedy club, in the presence of friends at a birthday party or at your friend's wedding when she smashes cake all over her new husband's face. But finding yourself chuckling at Aunt Mary's funeral while your cousin is giving a eulogy is not a good way to express your condolences.

I can name many times that I have laughed an inappropriate times. When my son fell off the ladder in his bedroom and was crying that he got a boo boo, was not a fine time to smile and fight off a chuckle. It doesn't make me a bad mom. I would think it would if it was the first time but since this incorrect expression has happened many times in my life, I just figure I'm wired wrong.

I've found myself trying to stifle a laugh when a friend of mine was getting yelled at by another friend. I should have been angry but I couldn't get that part of me to trigger to anger. I actually had to walk away and compose myself before returning to the room.

About a month ago, I read a blog somewhere that gave a name for it. But I spent over an hour trying to find it again without any luck.

I've never laughed at a funeral or church at the wrong time. Thankfully. I'm not sure I'd be able to explain my sudden outburst of laughter.

This post was written for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop. This week I chose prompt 5 and wrote my non fiction piece, in my own words.


5.) I sometimes laugh when I’m uncomfortable…or being yelled…or in church…or at a funeral. Write about a time when you laughed at an inappropriate time.

PYHO:Twelve Days

I know I've said somewhere this summer I couldn't wait for school to start. That twelve weeks was just too long for summer vacation. I think that was me when the last school bell rang and I was thinking, what am I going to do for the next three months with the kids?? Especially since we live on a limited budget which does not allow me to take them on an excursion everyday. How could we possibly fill the time up everyday?

For five different weeks I shuffled Miss K back and forth to either an art camp or a nature camp. I wanted to keep her creative juices flowing through the summer since public school doesn't offer enough art/creative arts/music/science in the curriculum anymore.

But we did squeeze in several trips to Sea World. Thank you Sea World and EZ Pay annual passes-we LOVE you! Shamu does Rock! Summer Nights was the best.

We spent several Saturdays or Sundays at the beach. We made a trek to Tampa and visited some out of town family. We even made several trips to the library. My kids LOVE books.

But now I'm feeling guilty. Many times I have wished that school would start already. Those are on the days when we're having down time and the kids are nagging each other, picking on each other and not just getting along.... I want school back. I feel so guilty.

Here we are just 12 days away from the first day of school and these last twelve days are going to fly by. I'm sad.

I'm going to redeem my bad thoughts and celebrate my birthday and our last weekend of summer fun and take the kids for a four day beach weekend. This Friday the four of us are packing up and heading to one of our northeast beaches. I am so excited! I am not going to think about back packs, schedules, dance classes, preschool or 6 am wakeups this whole weekend.

I'm going to laugh at my silly kids while they play in the pool, dig sand castles by the beach, swim in the salt water and let them stay up late the last weekend they can.

This Saturday is my 35th (gulp) birthday and I'm sharing the celebration with my children. Normally, I would plan an event with my closest friends for a night on the town. But not this year. I'm going to soak up the sweet tenderness of my now 4 year old and 8 year old. My little man is going to be starting preschool this year and my princess is going into the third grade.

They won't be little forever.

I still feel guilty. Where did the summer go?