Happy New Year!

Wow, can you believe New Year's Eve is just two days away? Christmas was wonderful and I can't wait for 2010. My goal for 2010 is to find a new job, still within the school district, but as an Administrative Assistant or School Office Manager. I would like to be making more money (who wouldn't) and I need to be paid when I am not working - which admins do. The only thing I'm not exactly sure about are the days I'd be working that could quite possibly be different than what I'm working now, but I'm certain they will be different. Then the trick will be finding appropriate daycare or someone to watch Carli when I'm working. And, if I am unable to find a job close to home, one in which I can ride the bus - transportation could be a problem, especially if J.C. is working full-time at the Post Office, if he gets his way. My dream is to work at the same school Carli is attending, but I don't see either one of the ladies up front going anywhere anytime soon. So then what I need to do is map out where the elementary and middle schools are that are close to the house and apply there, provided there are job opportunites at these schools. So now...I've talked about all I wanted to and will go for now. Thanks for reading my ramblings!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Bah humbug all neatly tied up with a really pretty bow!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Bah humbug all neatly tied up neatly with a really pretty bow...what a great title, huh? Yeah, I thought so. It's been a very long year and most recently some pretty cool stuff has happened near the end of it. Besides it being Christmas, again, I have been reacquainted with a biological cousin who lives in Florida - coincidentally near my stepdaughter. What a small world it really is. So on to what else has been happening as of late...I had begun to think that Carli would not be getting a Christmas this year. However, I couldn't have been more wrong. Thanks to the generosity of a couple of my co-workers Carli has a couple of presents under the tree and James was able to go out and buy her some neat toys. For her brand new baby doll (yes, I know she's 7 now, but she needs a new baby doll!) he bought a diaper bag and a Disney Princess Feeding Set. She also got a Sock Monkey named Maxx, some candy to go in her stocking, a Disney Fairie Nail Salon - my idea - a 3 pack of Littlest Pet Shop animals, a 5' pink feather boa, a Disney Easy Go Yo-yo (it automatically retrieves itself), Disney Card Game Pack (in its own vinyl bag, no less) and an 18" Cutie Pie baby doll. These are not exactly what she was asking for this year, but what she wanted was out of reach and the money just isn't here. Oh well. I'm certain she'll be happy with what she is given. And! I almost forgot to mention, Carli lost her first tooth last night (12/23). She put it in a plastic baggie and put it under her pillow and took herself to bed at 8 p.m. didn't ask for anything or get up for a drink of water or anything. By the time I went in to play the 'tooth fairy' role all parents get to play (oh, and my first time doing it, btw) I took my camera in to get a picture of her sleeping. She's a very beautiful child and I am in no way biased about that fact, either. HA! She has promised me that she will go to bed tonight at 8 p.m. so Santa can bring her presents. Such an amazing child.

Biological Family - First unofficial meeting

Today my cousin Terri and I met on Yahoo Messenger. We have not been officially introduced, only talking on the phone, facebook, Yahoo and today Yahoo Messenger with our webcams. I remember just the other day (Friday) being terrified at Terri wanting me to give her my phone number so she could call me after chatting for two days online. What if it really wasn't her? I braved it and gave her my phone number and guess what, it really was her! We talked for over an hour that first night and I remember it as if it were yesterday - because it almost was! We didn't talk at all yesterday, facebook, yahoo or on the phone and it felt almost strange because we'd seem to connect so well on Thursday and Friday, so I had begun to wonder if I'd said something that might have made her upset. I talked to her friend Marla on facebook for a little while yesterday and asked her if she'd heard from Terri. She said 'No' and was concerned because of Terri's accident this past September. I told Marla that I didn't know of anything being wrong with Terri, as far as I knew she was fine and that I didn't mean to upset her, just that I was concerned because I didn't see her online and haven't heard from her. Of course, I was not online much myself yesterday just because. I knew Terri would call me sometime Sunday, as she was off work and had promised she'd call. I got up at 9 a.m. knowing Terri wouldn't call right away at that time, because she knew I wouldn't be up yet. About an hour later Terri called and we talked for over an hour and then we set up Yahoo Messenger (thank goodness my computer has a built-in webcam) and she has a webcam too, and talked to each other for a couple of hours (for free) online! It was wonderful because we got to see each other and actually talk face-to-face, sort of, and see what the other looks like. It was cool because she and I share alot of the same facial features and we have the same sense of humor. Which is nice. Then after about an hour or so into our conversation, Terri decided she would get her mom on the phone and do a three-way phone call. It was wonderful talking to another person who remembers me from when I was really little. Aunt Jean was able to give me some more information and answer questions Terri couldn't. We talked for about 20 minutes or so, got her address also got my father's address and phone number so I could reconnect with him and my Uncle Vern. What a whirlwind weekend this has been. Not only for me, but I'm sure for Terri too. To finally be reunited with a cousin she watched get stripped away from her Aunt's arms and put into a car, not knowing why her little cousin was being whisked away or where to. After the three-way, we got back on line with each other on Yahoo Messenger and continued our conversation for about another 20 - 30 minutes and decided it was time to hang up and say goodbye. It wasn't easy, but we finally disconnected and ended up talking to each other later online (yahoo instant messaging and on the phone). It was/is wonderful having a biological family member in my life again. I was even able to reconnect with my father on the phone for about 5, maybe 10 minutes. He's ok. He remembered my daughter and husband, asked how they were doing. Now that I have his number and address, there is no way I'm ever losing contact with him again. I missed him terribly and I don't have to suffer anymore.

Sunday Musing 11/15/09

So, Sunday Musing seems to be a favorite title of mine and so, in order to keep them straight, I will add the day's date at the end of the title. Onto my musing...Thinking about Carli and her activities yesterday and my reaction to all of it. I'm grateful nothing bad happened to her and I really didn't get all that upset with her or cry like I have in the past. It's unusual that I didn't do any of that because crying and getting all upset has pretty much been the norm for me, so I was shocked that I was not worse. Oh well. Either it means that I'm beginning to realize that Carli is growing up and can somewhat be responsible for walking down the street here in Tempe safely, arriving at a neighbors house and not have anything bad happen to her. Fortunately, we live in a very quiet neighborhood, there aren't many cars zipping up and down the street (that's the thing that scares me most however, that she gets hit by a speeding vehicle). So, in that vein, I have been teaching her how to safely cross the street, showing her by example what to do, when and how. She pretty much has it figured out, but the street we live on has people driving up & down the street going faster than 25 (residential street speed limit) and using our street as a faster way to get around the slower traffic out on University. My goal? to get speed bumps or a calming circle put on the street, perhaps in front of our house to slow the crazy bastards who refuse to recognize they are speeding and that children live on this street. I call Tempe Traffic nearly every time more than one or two cars speed through the neighborhood. I just wish once the cops would stick around and watch the crazies driving through. But of course, when the cops are around, what do drivers do? Obey the rules of the road. Oh well, I guess my next option would be to sit out in my driveway with a radar gun and point it at the drivers who are speeding, get their license plates and tattle on them.

Weekend Edition

So, it's the weekend, again. Carli was busy earlier visiting neighbors and making a general pain of herself. She'd escaped out the front door and down the street to a neighbors house and neglected to tell me she was skipping down the street to visit. Needless to say I was worried half to death when I called her name and she didn't answer. I checked the entire house before heading out the door myself to find out where she might have gone. I started thinking perhaps she'd been kidnapped and gone forever. About a minute later (probably less, really) I found her at said neighbors house in the front yard. I tried calling the neighbors cell phone, but she had left it inside and she honestly thought I knew of Carli's whereabouts. Anyway, after visiting with the neighbor and our newest neighbors, we came home and now Carli is happily watching television in her room.

Continuing to blog, no matter what

I've decided that I'll continue to blog no matter who reads it or not. Once again I will put this on my Facebook so that hopefully my DIL and other female friends and family members will read it, comment and let me know what they think of my current and not so current ramblings.

Today is Veteran's Day. A day to remember those who have served and are serving our country. My husband is among those who have served. I'm proud to be married to a vet and extremely happy that he came home from the war. For without him, I would not be the person I am today and would not have a wonderful daughter to raise.

So, onto my blogging for today. Maybe, if Carli will stay in her room for more than 5 minutes at a time.

Work has been going exceptionally well and we recently switched gears and started using a new program in our Learning Lab. We have also hired two new IAs to help out in the Math Lab. They have also been helping out in the classrooms, fitting in and figuring out their way around the campus.

Carli is growing and changing every day. She loves school, is doing well and learning more and more in reading, math, science and art. Her handwriting is also coming along nicely and improving, as well. She has decided that she wants to go to Summer School again this next summer and take two classes that will help her in 3rd grade and two 'fluff' classes. Math and something to do with science and then cooking/baking and yoga.

Speaking of yoga, Carli is learning all about it in Kid Zone - her before and after school enrichment program that she is enrolled in during the school year. Ms. Dory is an awesome teacher and treats all the children with love and respect. She's teaching them the different positions and also about healthy eating. Carli really likes her and it's mutual!


I hope once I put this on Facebook I will get some readers. Love you!

MOM! I stuck something in my nose and I can't get it out! WWWWWAAAAAA!!!!!

OMG! The first thing I thought was she'd stuck a bead up her nose and we'd be making a trip to the Emergency Department. Carli was hysterical and screaming at the top of her lungs, blowing snot out of her nose like there was no tomorrow - trying desperately to get whatever this 'thing' was out of her right nostril.

Needless to say all three of us were in a state of panic, mainly wondering what the hell she'd stuck up her nose, why she'd done it, and if we were ever going to get it out at home or if we'd have to go to the ED. We told Carli to keep blowing her nose and whatever she did not to inhale through her nose (we had no idea exactly what it was just yet) and I didn't want her risking putting whatever it was further up into her sinus cavity or choking on it should it pass through.

Well, after about what seemed like an eternity, I found the tweezers, tilted her little chin up in the bathroom so I could see it well enough to grab it and pulled out this foamy little disc (that she'd folded in half) of her right nostril.

So, only a few minutes (maybe two or three) passed before it was all over and done with, Carli only ending up with slight bloody discharge out of her nose as she blew it one last time and I asked her if she was going to stick things in her nose again and she emphatically said "NO! Mom, never again!" I suggested she go to her room to watch television (not as punishment because that would be just dumb) and rest for awhile.

It was quite a harrowing experience, for her, me and her dad - one I'm most certainly we are not destined to repeat. I took a picture of the offending object as posterity and future bribing, in hopes that by posting this note another mother will read this and completely understand the horrors we just went through.

Please feel free to share with other family members and close friends. For my sanity, please share!

Thanks for reading,
Donna