Time Flies

May 6, 2013

Only six more days until I am on luxurious FREE vacation!  I can't wait.  I have a to-do list a mile long.

Before I leave, we are meeting with a college admissions advisor.  Now there is an example of how time flies.  Sitting down and discussing college information for my handsome boy doesn't seem possible.  When I look at hime I still see this

Instead of this

And I was looking for cars online for that "little" guy.  When did he grow up so much?

It's Always Something

May 1, 2013

Today was one of those days.  Actually it's been one of those days too many times lately.  In preparation for my upcoming vacation with Nikki (more about that another time), I have been trying to get ahead at work.  Usually my work is low stress and basically uses a reasonable amount of my brain power to get the job done.  Well I have a project that raises issues I am not too familiar with, so I am having to re- learn (or learn in some cases) things I forgot since the bar exam.  It is causing me stress.  Seriously, my hair has a lot more grey than usual.
Add to that the interesting experiences we have all had getting Poppy situated in his new place.  Can I just complain about HOAs one more time to anyone who will listen?  Forms for everything!  Today Poppy's dog temporarily escaped.  Now, this did not directly effect me because I was sitting at my office in my own bundle of stress (see above), but I did feel incredibly guilty not being able to leave to go help look for the mutt.  She was rescued and brought home by Kathy, who has earned herself a seat in heaven for all she's done for Poppy.
And my sweet Grace is giving me fits.  She's been having anxiety in school.  So I have been working with the necessary people to see if we can fix this.  I hope we are on the right track. More grey hair.  
Then there is the backed up kitchen sink.  All I am going to say about that is: It's not my fault!  That's actually a funny story actually involving three pounds of potato peels and two male chefs.
So we will have been without a kitchen sink for 36 hours by the time the plumber (hopefully) fixes it tomorrow afternoon.  At least it was a good excuse for take-out tonight.
Tomorrow I will deal with my car window that sounds like grinding glass when I roll it up or down ... that needs fixing too.
When is that vacation?  Only 11 days from now.  Check out the sneak peak here.  I do when I need to relax.  In fact, I have to go.....
P.S.  I went in to change the laundry from the washer to the dryer and there was literally 1/4 inch of water on every inch my laundry room floor.  Apparently the plumbing issue is worse than I thought, or my washer finally bit the dust.  We will find out tomorrow.  I just mopped up all that water, after removing all the random now-wet crap that accumulated on the floor.   And I have no mop, we use rags on my wood floors, so I now have loads of wet, heavy towels I just threw out on the back patio to deal with later.  My back aches.  
One more thing, then I swear I will stop whining....I showered earlier tonight but now I am totally sweaty again after the flood relief work.  So much for trying to plan ahead for the morning- I need another shower.  Boo hoo.  

Quiet & Fancy

April 28, 2013
Whoa! It's not even 9:00 and everyone here is in bed.  You would think we had a crazy weekend, but nope.
Well, Tommy was unusually social, spending both Friday and Saturday nights with friends and making me worry like the mom of a teenager that I am .  Needless worry.
Grace did have a dance performance today, but it wasn't long.  She's just reading a good book so she's in bed.  She also watched every episode of Dance Moms this weekend on my iPad, so maybe she ran out of TV viewing mojo.
This weekend was Prom for BCP and Arcadia.  Most all my friends have older kids that went.  It is so fun to hear all the preparations that go into Prom now-a-days.  Not like the olden days back in the 80s.
Speaking of Prom and being all fancy-schmancy, here are some pics from the rehearsal dinner and wedding we attended earlier this month in Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Rehearsal Dinner 

Serious

Happy

 The Wedding Chapel

 Wedding Reception 

I tried hard to get a decent picture of Tommy- he was not cooperating that night

I realize I am not in any pictures from the wedding.  I am hoping Kathy took one with me in it.  I also know she took one of all 4 of us at the rehearsal.  Someday I will get those from her and maybe I will remember to share.

Ping Pong and an update

April 24, 2013

First the update.  My solution worked... sort of.  Grace and her friend were able to sit at the table with their friends and then go to the nurse, but they had to share one seat to squeeze in.  Oh the life of a 7th grader.

2nd Annual Ping Pong Tournament

On April 13th we hosted the rematch ping pong tournament.  Friends, neighbors, and some (several) people I don't know came to see whether Jim Schu would repeat.  Jim didn't make it to the final round.  I blame that on the eventful night he was having for other reasons that aren't important to the ping pong story.   Instead G-Mac battled our newest contender, Amar, who also happens to be our newest neighbor.
We had a great time with the best neighbors and friends anywhere.  We missed one of our usual ringers this year - Barb.

The Riley's ended up playing against each other this year.

Amy didn't get past the reigning champ

Amy wasn't too upset about losing apparently

My favorite picture of the night

Tuck photo bombing

Rojo & Verde (or is it Verde & Rojo? I don't know who is who)

 Scenes from the final match:
Amar & G-Mac warming up

 Friendly pre-game photo

 Grant's victory speech went on and on....

 Serious Ping Pong is over - now just for fun.

The Lambeth brothers

These boys shut the party down around 1 am.

I love my neighborhood.

Grace

April 23, 2013

Miss Grace has been under the weather lately.  I think its bad allergies.  The strep test was negative.  She sounds very congested and is really tired.  Every so often she rallies and dances around the house, but mostly she's been lazy and stuffy since Thursday.
Then tonight tears over having to face lunchroom drama at school tomorrow.  Apparently there is a new seating arrangement at middle school.  Six to a table, and there are more than six, but less than 12 girls she wants to sit with.  Grace goes to the nurse at lunch with a friend who takes meds every day, so by the time they come to the cafeteria, no seats available.  One queen bee has declared that no one is allowed to save seats and I guess the rest of the bees just follow along, so Grace and her friend sit at a different table.  It seems all the other girls they might otherwise sit with also have full tables.  This causes Grace  and perhaps her friend much angst.
I've suggested that other friends take turns going to the nurse and sitting elsewhere - which would fix Grace's problem, but do no good for her friend.  Grace said no one else will go.  I said tell the queen bee it's ok to save seats.  Again, that's a 45 year old's solution to a tween problem, so not acceptable.  As I type this, I just thought of suggesting that they go to the nurse after they eat.  I'm sure that won't work for some reason, but I am going to go suggest it now.
I am so glad I am 45 and not 12 or even any age before 40 for that matter.

NC Day 3

Tommy and I did some unofficial college visits while in NC. We drove from Charlotte area to Chapel Hill to see UNC. Tommy did a fine job navigating with the iPad as his map. We did have to silence Siri whom we both found to be completely annoying.
The nice people at admissions at UNC gave us a self-guided tour map and a coupon to use at the book store as well as a pass to a dining hall. They were very helpful. We walked around and I only got us turned around once. We walked through a classroom building, the undergrad library , student center, the Pit, saw the Well, and shopped at the book store (not for books).
We did not eat there because we also had to get over to our next campus- Duke.
After a frustrating yet ultimately successful attempt to find parking, we headed down the lovely tree lines walk/drive to the admissions office. We got another map with a self guided tour. We had to ask questions though. I was happy to have had such a helpful lady at UNC so I knew what to ask.
We headed back up to tour all the same buildings and areas as we did at UNC. The buildings at Duke are beautiful. Their chapel is giant, amazing, and just gorgeous. I told Tommy it looks like you would be going to school at Hogworts with all the old stone, gothic buildings.
We ate in the student center- not dining hall food but a chain restaurant - so Tommy has yet to sample real college grub.
I liked UNC over Duke and of course Tommy had the opposite opinion. But he did like both and said he could see moving to NC.
Now I'm going to try and attach pictures. But this is from my phone so who knows.

NC day 1

Tommy and I are safe and sound in Denver NC at my aunt Nancy's house. We visit Cheri, Maria and David tomorrow. It's been a long travel day and despite sleeping on both legs of the flight and the 3 hour time difference I am ready to climb in bed with a book. Tommy is watching Parental Guidance on the iPad and I'm enjoying listening to him giggle at the movie.