12/31/08

1. Had a ton of errands to run, but got them all done. Did the grocery shopping (the store was a ZOO), went out for ice cream ;), got M's hair cut, picked up and dropped off things at peoples' houses.

2. Mom's kitchen is essentially done! There are some shelves that have to be re-ordered and they need a bit more quarter round trim, but all the cabinets are installed and it looks awesome! (I'll update her blog tomorrow)

3. New Year's Eve celebration at home. We had a few families over and played games and ate snacks until midnight. :)

12/30/08

1. Ran some errands (Target Xmas was 75% off!) and had lunch out with G.

2. Finally made some plans for NYE--having friends over for a very casual gathering.

3. Out to see JIM GAFFIGAN at the Pabst theater. It was fantastic! He did bits on bowling, bacon, hot pockets, sex... All hysterical stuff!

12/29/08

1. Mom got her plumbing installed! Almost there...

2. G. has a friend who called with two extra tickets to see Jim Gaffigan tomorrow night--YAY!

3. Mom booked the Amtrak tickets (and yesterday I made the dinner reservation) for Friday's trip to Chicago to go to American Girl Place for M's golden birthday.

4. Surprise extra tutoring (and therefore extra money)

5. Another day with high temps over the freezing mark. YAY!

6. Neighbor book club--we watched Girl With A Pearl Earring; it was beautifully filmed, but not a great movie. If I hadn't read the book, I don't think I'd have followed it. Book club discussion, however, was wonderful as always!

12/28/08

1. Sleeping in (no kids!) and then leisurely reading the Sunday paper before fetching said kids.

2. Trip to the Art Museum to take pictures for T's Art Docent project. Here's his piece:
And here are two girls and a boy, becoming one with the universe:
3. Going out to Potbelly's (as a family) for G's birthday. Yummy food, and I was able to stop into Origins to use my $10 gift certificate.

12/27/08

1. My wonderful, caring, giving, handsome husband turned 40 today!

2. We had a small gathering of friends to celebrate his birthday. It was SO much fun! Very low-key with lots of yummy snacks, some fun games, and great conversation. Oh, and an adorable baby!

3. My mom kept all three kids overnight due to the party. Strange as it was to sleep w/o a baby monitor on, it was nice, too!

4. I cleaned the entire house from top to bottom in preparation for having "new" people over. I love having the whole house clean at once!

12/26/08

1. I had to run out this morning to do some returns and to pick up a surround sound theater system for my Mom. The return lines at Kohls and Boston Store were short and the employees SO helpful, and there were only three theater systems left, so I'm glad I trekked out to Costco!

2. C. got the results of her ACT's and (IMO) she kicked butt! She was SO excited because she did better than she had on her practice test and, I think, well enough to get into many colleges at this point. Hopefully she'll do even better when she takes them "for real" in three years.

3. Played a lot of Guitar Hero World Tour with the kids. It's such a fun game (better, IMO, than Rock Band) and I love introducing the kids to music from our era.

12/25/08

1. The cuteness of the kids planning waking time. Our "rule" is that they cannot get out of bed until 6:00 am and cannot wake us until 7:00 am. (But they can look at the Santa gifts and their stockings before waking us) Both T. and C. set their alarms (iPod and cell phone) for 6:30 and we heard them on the baby monitor before they came up at 7:02 to wake us.

2. Lovely Xmas morning stuff--breakfast of Mamafitz's breakfast casserole and cinnamon bites (plus OJ and coffee) and laziness after opening gifts.

3. G's parents here for Xmas supper with us. Mom cooked an excellent meal of prime rib, twice baked potatoes, roasted veggies and salad.

4. Friends from knitting club came after supper for dessert and some Guitar Hero. They're a fun and funny couple, and the new GH rocks! ;)

12/24/08

1. G. got his birthday gift all set up ;)

2. Mom's Corian countertops are in! She's so excited and it really is looking like a "real" kitchen.

3. Yummy dinner from Nick N Willy's (pizza, buffalo wings, caesar salad) without the work!

4. The cuteness of the kids wearing their new Xmas jammies and exchanging sibling gifts tonight.

12/23/08

1. Everyone slept in, and we had a big breakfast to start the day of cleaning and reorganizing.

2. Got a lot of moving, cleaning, rearranging done--hopefully finish up tomorrow!

3. Made one of my favorite meals--Mexican Gumbo ala Qdoba--and had the neighbors over for supper. Fun! (even if I did drink too many pina coladas and had to skip Knitting Club)

12/22/08

1. C. and I ran to do some shopping (groceries, essentially) since it's going to be snowy between now and Xmas. We also found an amazing deal on something to go with G's birthday gift. Yay!

2. LOTS of holiday cards in the mail today. Though I complain about the stress of getting my cards sent, it is SO nice to receive cards that it's worth it. :)

3. Out for coffee with G. while T. had his guitar lesson. I fear we may all be stuck indoors for awhile with even more snow coming, so it was nice to get out for a bit.

12/21/08

1. Though we woke up to -8 temps, and 30 mph winds, no one had to be anywhere today, so we could stay put--indoors!

2. While looking through the Sunday paper, we found G's birthday gift and ran out to pick up the last one! :)

3. Tried a new recipe from one of my Xmas gifts, BOB. It was a steakhouse shepherd's pie, and it was just right for such an awful, cold evening.

4. Winter solstice...daylight only gets longer from here on out. ;)

12/20/08

1. Quick trip out with G. to get a few last minute Xmas things for Xmas with his family today.

2. Very helpful children; I wanted to get the house picked up before we left, and they chipped in and helped out.

3. WE GOT A SNOWBLOWER! An online friend was selling one, and between us, my mom, and our next-door neighbors, we got it. I'm hoping that's all it takes to get Mother Nature to stop dumping on us!

4. Xmas with G's family; lots of fun, and we all got great gifts! (I'll try to post pictures tomorrow--too tired now) And while the trip home was truly awful, we all made it home safely.

12/19/08

1. Despite Milwaukee being hit with one of the worst snowstorms ever, no one had to be anywhere, and we got it all cleaned up by mid-afternoon. Oh, and there was the bonus of all that wonderful outdoor air and exercise!

2. Got some cleaning done in the house before the snow stopped, so it's not a *complete* disaster.

3. Ventured out for pizza at Classic Slice in Bayview with some of the Knitting Club (and family). Yummy baconizer pizza and great company made it worth the drive on less-than-perfect roads.

12/18/08

1. Had an extra tutoring session today, which helps (financially) since I won't have any meetings over the winter break.

2. Got a message from my favorite cousin, who I hadn't heard from in over a year! She found me on Facebook yesterday and PM'ed me today with a breastfeeding question! It was great to hear from her, and also wonderful to talk breastfeeding--which was so much a part of my life for so long.

3. Finally got to see Mamma Mia (the movie). I watched it while folding laundry, so didn't even have the guilt of being lazy while watching it! :)

4. This may seem like a strange thing to make me happy, but...
I've felt particularly stressed this holiday season. I'm not usually a fanatic about Christmas, but I do enjoy it and all the little traditions we have. Notsomuch this year. I spoke with not one but TWO friends today who basically said they're feeling the same. I just felt less alone with my Scrooge-y thoughts afterwards and it truly felt like a weight was lifted!

12/17/08

1. Mom and I headed out for some shopping. I didn't get much, but Mom got a few things. I like shopping during weekdays when it's not so busy, too.

2. Got some more knitting done on the secret project (after stopping at Ruhama's to get a needle that I didn't own). Maybe it'll be done in time, though I'm not holding my breath!

3. C's Middle School orchestra concert. I think the orchestra program is AMAZING! I love their concerts, and it's especially neat to see T. enjoying them (since he's playing violin, too) and M. tapping her foot or humming along.

12/16/08

1. Got grocery shopping done a day early--and mom went, too, which was nice.

2. Lunch out w/ Mom at this Chinese place near the grocery store. Kind of a dive, but the food was good! (I love going out for Chinese, since it's so time-consuming to cook)

3. My application to take classes this Spring as a Special Student was approved, so I immediately went online and registered for CHM 511 (Inorganic). It's scary, but exciting!

4. Got started on a new knitting project (which shall remain a secret for now).

12/15/08

1. Today is one of my best friend's 40th birthdays (Happy Birthday, Sarah!).

2. I caught up on a bunch of phonecalls that I've needed to make, but been putting off. (Didn't necessarily get much accomplished in those phonecalls, but I got them made)

3. Tutoring--got nice gifts from two of my clients, too. A gift card to Schwartz's Book Store from one and a Kate Spade datebook from the other.

12/14/08

1. I felt better than I did yesterday; it's amazing how, after feeling REALLY awful, even minor improvement seems amazing!

2. Ran out and finished almost all of my shopping--using coupons, too.

3. It was unbelievably warm--hitting 45--which made much of the snow melt, and enabled us to chip most of the ice off of the sidewalks and driveway, in preparation for another big snow coming tomorrow.

4. Finished a scarf that knit up really quickly, using a pattern I found online and LOVE! G. will give it as a gift for one of his co-workers tomorrow:

12/13/08

1. I got to bring C. and a friend to take their ACT's. This was much less chaotic than last year when they took the SAT's and they seemed so much more confident and self-assured, too! I think having them take the practice ones in middle school is a great idea.

2. Met the Mom of one of C's friends and Dad of another for coffee after the test-taking. It really is always fun to watch C. in a pack of her peers. They're such a fun mix of childhood and adulthood at this age. (and the eggnog latte was yummy, too)

3. Mom got back from her trip up North safely--and she brought awesome pizzas made by her friend Louise. That made for a nice, easy supper.

12/12/08

1. T. and M.'s School Holiday Concert was this morning. First of all, T's class got to dance, which was very enjoyable. And the kindergarteners are *always* adorable!

2. Long meeting with my future Grad School advisor. This time I got to attend one of their group meetings, where they were discussing data they'd collected and the plans they'd made for future research. It made a lot of the abstract descriptions more meaningful to me. I also found out that one of the three classes I need to take before being admitted *will* be offered this spring, so I can get started (if I can come up with the money!).

3. C. and I made four more gift bags. We're up to 13 now! :)

12/11/08

1. Subbing wasn't as bad as I feared! I signed up to sub Chemistry, but then realized that the job I took was teaching the non-math based Chem classes and the freshman intro classes, and that it was subbing for someone who had been out all week and had different subs every day of the week! Everyone was very helpful, I got to actually *teach* some, and I did get to have lunch with one of my former co-workers. And I'm exhausted, so I should sleep well tonight!

2. I almost finished the scarf I started knitting on Tuesday. Two preps and an hour for lunch will do that!

3. Thursday night TV--nothing spectacular, but familiar ;)

12/10/08

1. G. took the older kids to school early for the Student Council breakfast so the younger ones and I slept in somewhat.

2. After dropping the kids at school, I headed to the mall. I've gotten MOST of my shopping done and it's down to just looking for a few things.

3. T. and M. both had playdates after school, which extended my day a bit. I finally sewed straps on five Everlasting Bagstoppers, and had a bit of time to knit, too.

4. Took a friend and went to an Open House held by another friend. The second friend is a Mary Kay distributor, and since I don't wear makeup, I've kind of avoided most of her parties, but she recently added another company to her business--uppercase living. I found a lot of cute things I'd like from uppercase living, and picked up a few great deals on Mary Kay things, too (she had close-outs and clearance things).

12/9/08

1. Still trying to find some happiness in today's snowstorm. I guess that everyone is safe, despite the awful weather and road conditions. Oh, and I got an awful lot of exercise between shoveling, scooping, and roof-raking.

2. Made a very summery supper--bratwurst with Jack Straw salad and potato chips.

3. All three kids so excited to play in the snow now that they have a backyard to play in!

4. Knitting Club; The bookstore where we usually meet closed at 7:00 due to the weather, so we had to go across the street to a coffee place. I personally like the coffee place better, so that was a nice bonus--and Knitting Club is always fun.

12/8/08

1. Decided to go grocery shopping today (due to the storm predicted) instead of Wednesday, as usual. The grocery store was much less busy, employees seemed friendlier, and they were out of fewer things. I'm trying to decide if double coupons is worth the hassle (they do double coupons on Wednesday, but max of 5 and $1 value each). I saved $57 on a $95 bill.

2. Didn't get the whole house clean, but got more clean than I'd feared. My "broken" washing machine is really annoying, though (it only does a FULL load--and I mean FULL), as I have to plan my loads more, and feel wasteful if I run a small load. ugh! Please, oh please let washers and dryers be on sale-BIG sale-after the first of the year.

3. I was supposed to help in M's PE class today, but they had switched PE times and the teacher forgot to let me know. Instead, I got to help in the classroom during Center Time.

4. All three kids went to bed wearing their PJ's inside out in hopes of a snow day tomorrow.

12/7/08

1. It's been a very snowy December, but no snow (yet!) today.

2. C's Middle School Variety Show: she started off just doing stage crew, but ended up doing stage crew, singing the National Anthem with Chamber Choir, helping in an MC skit, and being in a piece from Wicked.

3. Mom decided kind of last minute to drive up North to catch up with some friends. She made it safely--and ahead of the storm(s) coming.

4. Both tutoring sessions went well tonight. It's nice when I feel I've really been helpful.

12/6/08

1. My nephew's Bar Mitzvah. It was so neat to see this boy who was born early and just over 5 lbs. turn into a mature young man!

2. Mailed the Xmas cards! (My first card arrived today, too, so none-too-soon)

3. Ran out with C. to find gifts for her teacher (Student Council members each adopt a teacher for Teacher Appreciation week). We were successful, and kept it within the price limits.

4. Cashew chicken stir fry for supper. I hadn't made this for a long time and it really hit the spot!

12/5/08

1. I tried to return a pair of jeans to Kohl's because one of the snaps on the back pockets broke. Even though I didn't have a receipt, they allowed me to exchange them with no hassle at all!

2. Made two more Xmas gift bags. It's addictive!

3. Finished up the Xmas cards--all ready to be mailed tomorrow.

4. An exciting night out with G.--Home Depot, Target, Qdoba and Costco!

12/4/08

1. M. woke up on her own and was well enough to go to school.

2. I sewed four more Xmas gift bags (and C. put in the drawstrings, which was nice).

3. I washed and folded ALL the laundry--while catching up on ALL of the episodes of Rachael Ray that I had DVR'ed.

4. M's Daisy Girl Scout Investiture ceremony. It was SO cute to see all the girls (and hear them reciting the GS promise).
5. G. finished the Xmas letter and I proofed it and formatted it. Now it just needs to be printed and stuffed into envelopes and then we can mail them! :) (I love getting holiday cards...)

12/3/08

1. Although M. was home from school sick (the pukey bug), having my Mom next door meant that I could still do the errands and stuff that I "needed" to do today.

2. Staying home all afternoon meant that I finally got started on the Xmas gift bags that I've wanted to make for about two years. ;) I made five today:
3. Though I was not happy to see more snow, the Kaufman snow scoops that Mom ordered arrived today, and they made the "shoveling" much easier!

4. The kids actually started the Xmas book advent calendar last night, but I wasn't home for the reading of the first book. Tonight was one of my favorites: Elmo's Christmas Colors

12/2/08

1. Though it was a really cold day (and there's still snow all over), the sun was out! That makes such a difference.

2. Ran some errands with mom, including a trip to Boelter (restaurant supply store--SO fun to browse) and lunch at Culver's. Yummy Culver's Cobb salad (not as good as CPK's, but still good).

3. Relatively nice trip out to Oconomowoc to get the girls' teeth filled. I don't enjoy going to the dentist, but I really appreciate free dental work (from G's uncle and now his cousin, who has joined the practice!). The girls did well--C. even had both of hers filled w/o anesthesia (which is my little trick--I hate the numbness more than the short bit of pain).

4. Nice PTC meeting. Even though I don't exactly look forward to attending them, they really are interesting! And I've met a whole 'nother group of moms from the kids' school, too. And--I got the minutes typed up tonight--YAY!

5. When PTC ended, I still had 45 minutes before knitting club ended, so I raced over. I got a bit of knitting in, and grabbed some good company and conversation, too! :)

12/1/08

1. Although we had a winter weather advisory last night, the roads were not terrible, and everyone made it where they had to go--safely.

2. Subbing (at the HS--Math) went well. I'm still not in love with subbing (it's not a lot of actual teaching) but I do enjoy being in the school and I think I'd really enjoy a long-term sub position. With the inability to take classes until fall, I'm *really* hoping a long-term thing opens up for me this spring.

3. After subbing all day, coming home to supper cooked by not me ;) Mom made a yummy flank steak roll-up thing stuffed with bacon and onions and cooked in a tomato-based sauce. It was so nice to not have to think about supper after being gone all day.

4. I had one tutoring client tonight, and she'd gone home from school early since she didn't feel well. I was able to go through all of the math that she'd missed, plus we worked on some Chem. It's nice to feel needed--AND I'm done with work for the week! :)

11/30/08

1. Went through the Xmas gifts I'd already bought and, in the process, organized the mini attic. I did pretty well shopping-wise and don't have a lot of stuff to get yet.

2. Shopped some with C. at the mall. I had a $10 Kohls coupon and picked up a few more things. While there, I ran into a friend of a friend and we exchanged coupons (I gave her Boston Store; she gave me Kohl's). The mall was not very busy, either.

3. Heard from my Grad School advisor. I'm not exactly sure if it's good news or bad news, though! I was *sure* I'd need to take Calculus (and was actually kind of looking forward to it), but I guess the committee says I "only" need to take three courses before I get in. The three courses, though, are:
311 Inorganic
524 Instrumental Analysis
560 Non-Calc based P-Chem
And each is 3 credits and each is ONLY offered in the fall.

11/29/08

1. Going out for breakfast (bagels and coffee) with my mom, brother, and his girlfriend. It was such a nice visit with them--they stayed a bit longer and weren't as rushed to leave. And Mom's got more room for them to stay--I hope they come visit more often!

2. M. went to a play with one of her classmates. She got all dressed up and they got cookies and juice, in addition to seeing the play.

3. Putting up the Xmas tree with the kids. I bought a new tree on clearance last year and wasn't sure if it would be hideously ugly. It's not bad--and as a bonus, it's narrower than our old one, so takes up less space. Oh, and it's a pre-lit tree, too! The kids did all the decorating.

11/28/08

1. Black friday shopping, starting at 7:00 am, with C. and my brother's girlfriend; we got SO many deals! ;)

2. M., marching in her first parade (the Holiday Stroll) with the Daisy Girl Scouts.
3. Coming home, after marching in the parade, to yummy turkey soup and sandwiches, which Mom had made.

11/27/08

1. My brother (and his girlfriend) coming to see Mom's new house for the first time

2. Cooking Thanksgiving stuff with my mom (we're a good team in the kitchen!)

3. Pulling off a really fun Thanksgiving meal for 21 people; and everyone getting along great! I have the best family and in-laws!

11/26/08

1. Kids off of school

2. Got almost all of the house clean for tomorrow

3. M., going to a birthday party (a boy in her class who has a crush on her)

11/25/08

1. Coffee at Mom's house for the first time! She's so excited that her house is becoming more and more of a "real" house. While I was there, we moved some stuff around and unpacked about eight boxes--which had been buried by other stuff.

2. Started the kindergarten carpool. In the winter we seldom walk (or bikeride) to school and it's nice to carpool with another mom so I don't have to bundle up and leave the house every day! Saves gas, too, as one person is driving instead of two.

3. Knitting club--first time I've been able to go in several weeks. I had really missed everyone and it was so good to be back. We had a new person join us, too, and I think she'll be back. Fun!

11/24/08

1. Coffee at the home of one of C's friends. Four of us moms shared coffee, great conversation, and admired new furniture! It's so nice that I really *like* the moms of C's friends so much (as well as their daughters).

2. I was PE helper for M's class. They're doing a gymnastics unit, and M. was having so much fun (and doing so well). She has a really nice class, too.

3. C.'s turn to take "baby think it over" home for Health class. It was kinda sweet to see her taking care of the crying doll, patting it and talking to it. (but man, is that cry annoying! And persistent!)

4. The Middle School choir concert. This year's choir teacher is such a great guy and the song choices were so much better than last years. Best of all, C. is in Chamber Choir (a smaller group that you need to audition for), and I was so proud of her performance in that group (of only nine kids). She really loves singing and you can tell.

11/23/08

1. Leisurely Sunday morning reading the paper. It's the one day I like to get up early while everyone else sleeps in.

2. Got some little things done at Mom's house that I had been kind of putting off. Knowing that my brother will be here this week kicked my butt into gear.

3. Yummy Indian buffet with friends (and C. and Mom) for lunch. Almost ten hours later and I am *still* full!

4. Tutoring--there's Chemistry and Geometry tests on Tuesday, so I felt particularly useful!

11/22/08

1. Going with M. while she traded in her Gameboy SP to get a Nintendo DS. She's saved her allowance and the money she's gotten from her grandparents for various holidays (best of all, now she has a new "toy" with no accessories, so buying her things for Xmas will be easier). She had a tough time choosing which color to get until the salesman described one as "metallic silver". (She's *very* into metallics!)

2. C. and her friends working on their Beyond project. They chose to read "Much Ado About Nothing", which they finished yesterday, so the girls (all but one) came over for breakfast, to watch the movie version, and then to write their final project (they're re-writing it as a current, teenaged version to perform for the class). It's so fun to have a group of highly-motivated kids working together! And they really worked hard, too.

3. Fun afternoon shopping. We had to pick up some stuff for C's Shakespeare (see above) project, wanted to use the Costco coupons, and had a few other errands to run. It was nice to see that both Target and Costco were really busy, too. With all the economy woes, it's a little scary, so it's nice to see that at least some local businesses are busy! And, I found a down vest (which I've wanted and been looking for for over a year) for $19.99! C. got herself one, too (though mine is brown and hers is black).

4. Accepted a subbing job for Math on December 1st. I hope it's a fun one!

5. Out for coffee (and a bit more shopping) with G. tonight. I wore my new down vest and it works GREAT!

11/21/08

1. All went well this morning with Mom coming over to finish prepping the big kids for school and get M. ready.

2. My full day of subbing Social Studies at the HS actually went pretty well! It was nice to see some former co-workers at lunchtime, too!

3. Coming home to dinner that I didn't cook (thanks, Mom!), then catching up on email, knitting a little, and watching Thursday night TV. Decadent!

11/20/08

1. T. chose his piece for Art Docents this week and I was able to find a picture of it online:
It's a moving "mobile" sculpture done by Alexander Calder and entitled "Black, Red and Blue". I think it's fitting that Travis--so math and science minded--chose a mobile for his art piece.

2. Got almost all of the house cleaned for Book Club tonight. It's been a long time since I've had most/all of the house clean at once!

3. Lunch out with a friend/mom of one of T's classmates. We hadn't had a chance to talk for a long time and it was so nice to catch up on things!

4. Book Club here--The Glass Castle. We had great discussion about the book--and other stuff. I can't say enough about how thrilled I am with our block Book Club! Such a fun group of women, and so nice that no one has to DRIVE anywhere!

11/19/08

1. Cleaned half of the basement--and I mean *cleaned*! Tossed out old junk and re-organized the toy and game closet and put away some things before Thanksgiving.

2. Made Zuppa Toscana for supper--YUM! Actually, did the whole Olive Garden type meal--soup, salad and breadsticks!

3. Just feeling generally better than yesterday. (Yesterday I felt like crap...)

11/18/08

1. Grocery shopping; as lousy as the economy is, there are some really good food deals to be had.

2. Filled up my gas tank at $2.03 a gallon. Again, the economy, but...

3. I decided to skip knitting club--though I missed everyone, it was really nice to crawl into bed early...

11/17/08

1. After trying to figure out how to drive the older kids to school w/o having to wake M. or my mom, they ended up walking to school! It was under 30 degrees this morning! I was so proud of them.

2. Good night of tutoring--especially with one client that doesn't always have much to work on. Tonight we had stuff to work on, and I felt particularly helpful.

3. Done with tutoring for the week! (so nice to work a two day week...)

11/16/08

1. Muffins, coffee and reading the Sunday paper.

2. Working outside on Mom's yard--raking leaves (they're still not all on the ground) and digging up the pest hostas. It was a very cold day, but at least the sun was shining brightly. I chased the kids outside, too, for one of possibly the last nice days for awhile.

3. C's last performance of BIG! She's loved being in this musical and I'm glad she did it, but I really am sick of how it cramps our schedule and all the driving.

4. T. ran two miles today (at least!). I'm loving wii Fit because he actually jogged for half an hour! This is the kid who would complain for WEEKS when they had to run the mile in gym.

5. I picked up our Xmas photo cards and addressed the envelopes today. We're just waiting for G's creative juices to flow so he can write the annual Xmas letter.

11/15/08

1. Started the day with a big breakfast. I tried the biscuits from Amateur Gourmet, made bacon and scrambled eggs, and most of us created breakfast sandwiches. Yum!

2. Got to chaperone M's Daisy Troop when they participated in "Songs N S'mores with the Brownies". So cute!

3. Wonderful dinner (and shopping) 0ut with my wonderful husband. We went to Devon Seafood and had crab cakes and scallops and chocolate cake and key lime pie! (And we got some more Xmas gifts bought)

11/14/08

1. No school today (P-T conferences) so everyone got to sleep in! Why is the difference between 6:15 and 7:15 so wonderful?

2. Trip to Mayfair Mall with C. and M., several of C's friends, and one of my friends (who happens to be the mom of one of C's friends). We ran into other friends there, who we had lunch with. M. was wonderfully behaved the whole FIVE hours we were gone, and it was so nice to just get out of the house and be with friends!

3. We finally opened the wii Fit that I bought three months ago (and planned to use once school started). So far I really, really like it! I hope it makes me keep up with exercising. I'm not holding my breath, as I'm so terrible about it, but (like I said) it *is* fun!

11/13/08

1. Coffee with the 5th grade moms. We had a new mom join us (new to Cumberland), which was very nice! She has a K5 daughter, too!

2. Mom and I bought almost 30 MORE pounds of meat at Costco! Found out that now is the time to buy pork and beef--after T-giving, people will be buying it for the holidays, so the price will go up.

3. Yesterday C. told me that I should buy some flats (I was complaining about my feet hurting from wearing heels half the day). I had just received a $5 coupon from Famous Footwear, so when I was out running errands, I stopped to look. I found a pair of black suede flats and a pair of brown leather flats and after the "Buy one pair, get the second half off" sale and the $5 coupon, I got them both for $23!

4. Had T and M's parent-teacher conferences. Overall, we have a wonderful set of kids ;) They are polite, smart, and helpful and their teachers all love them. (someone please remind me of this when they're being less-than-delightful!).

11/12/08

1. Grocery shopping today. They're doing another of those promos where you get a "certificate" for every $50 you spend and then you redeem the certificates for gift cards at the end of the promotion. So I spent $101--I usually spend just UNDER the dollar mark to get one. (it's the little things)

2. Subbing--I took a half day slot at the Middle School (6th grade Lit/Lang) as the first subbing I've done all school year. After last year, I'd vowed that I'd never take a Middle School job again, but this was actually really fun! The kids were well-behaved, the teacher left stuff for me to do with the students, and I'm glad I did it!

3. C's Parent-teacher conferences were tonight. Though there's room for her to work on her grades, her teachers all like her and had very nice things to say about her as a person, and as a friend to other students.

11/11/08

1. Mom and I went to the giant "value pack" meat sale at Sendik's. We bought over 50 lbs. of meat (steak, ground chuck, baby back ribs, pork roast, pork chops) in value packs, then brought them home, separated, re-packaged, and froze them. Now the freezer's in much better shape for the winter!

2. Picked up my first subbing job for the school year! It's only a half day, and it's at the middle school (tomorrow), but at least I'm getting my feet wet ;)

3. Had a PTC meeting at school and I volunteered to do the minutes this year. I had felt so overwhelmed by years of volunteering at the kids' schools that I *really* stepped back this year--probably insanely so. It made me feel good to help out in whatever small way possible.

11/10/08

1. The beginning of three days where C. does *not* have to be gone four hours a night for BIG rehearsals! :)

2. First P-T conference of the week--T's math teacher had (almost all) good things to say about him. Funniest is how, when he forgets his homework, he lets her know by saying, "I'm being like my sister today..." (C. had her last year and was notorious for doing her homework, but leaving it in her locker)

3. Another short tutoring week. I finished both early and even had time to run to the mall and get some Xmas shopping done.

11/9/08

1. Lazy Sunday morning, reading the paper, eating cinnamon rolls, and drinking coffee.

2. Got to see BIG! The Musical, which C. has been working so hard on for over two months. She did a great job, and I'm so proud that she pitched in to do stage crew as well when they were short-handed!

3. The Vikings beat the Packers; that's huge in Cheeseheadland!

4. G's parents came for BIG and stayed for supper, too. It's nice to see them, but the best part came when G's mom said that she hasn't had a cigarette since mid-September!!! I cannot express how happy that made me.

11/8/08

1. Yet *another* trip to Target--this time Halloween was marked down 90%. I only got a few things (it was VERY picked over) but now I don't feel like I missed out on anything! lol We also got C. a new cell phone at Costco. She got the LG Shine and she is thrilled!

2. Wonderful Mother-Daughter Book Club. The hostess (Michelle) always makes delicious food, and we got to speak with the author of the book we read this month (The Remarkable & Very True Story of Lucy & Snowcap by H. M. Bouwman).

3. Because she was reading and re-reading the same books over and over (Junie B. Jones, My Weird School, etc.), I asked M. if she wanted to try some longer books. She picked the Little House books to try. M's about halfway through "Little House in the Big Woods" and she is *loving* it! It's so fun to see her excited about reading--and especially about reading a series that I loved and that C. loved!

11/7/08

1. C. and I went in for T's "Top Cougar" week today. He's had a week to display pictures and share his interests. Today anyone from his family could go in and talk about T. Luckily, C. had only half a day of school and so she could join me.

2. C. got a new haircut. She was very sad because she's decided to grow it out, and the hairdresser trimmed it up so much that it's significantly shorter. But it looks really very cute.

3. Mom watched the younger two kids while G. and I got started on our Xmas shopping (we got quite a bit done!) and went out for coffee. Yummmy Fa La Lattes are back at Caribou!

11/6/08

1. Ran to Target since I was in the neighborhood :) I found SO many cute Halloween things at 75% off that I'm thinking I might head out tomorrow, when it's supposed to go to 90% off...

2. Lunch (at Qdoba) with one of my college friends. It was so nice to catch up with her and especially to hear how well things are going for her since her separation/divorce two years ago.

3. Watched part of the dress rehearsal for BIG! tonight (which C. is in). It's a bit rough, but still *very* cute! Performances start tomorrow night.

11/5/08

1. Seeing (in person) and reading (online) all the smiles and positive comments and overall excitement about Obama's win.

2. Coffee out with the 8th grade moms.

3. Nice dinner with one of Mom's friends from "Up North". Great food (all cooked by Mom) and wonderful conversation (political and otherwise).

11/4/08

1. OBAMA!!!!
(nothing else can compare on this day)

11/3/08

1. Took both younger kids to the doctor today. M's 2 1/2 week long cough is just that--a cough. If she's still coughing in a week, we might have to do a round of prednisone (like last year at this time), but since she's happy and energetic, there's nothing to do. T., on the other hand, has a double ear infection--raging in his left ear and also bad in his right ear. He's on a 10 day course of antibiotics (the newer thinking is to avoid antibiotics unless things are really bad, and then give a long, strong course). M. went back to school for the afternoon and T. stayed home today, but will be back tomorrow.

2. Re-claimed my living room. :) Moved the furniture back to how it was pre-Mom's surgery and cleaned and dusted everything while I was moving. Feels good to get things like that done.

3. T. lost another tooth--while eating supper. It was very funny because he'd just showed me where the adult tooth is coming in and the baby tooth is still there. I'd asked him if the baby tooth was loose (he said "yes") and two hours later, it was out! :)

4. Another week done with tutoring on Monday night. If I could just sub one day a week and keep this schedule, I'd be SO happy!

11/2/08

1. Ahhh... I love when daylight saving's time is over! I woke up (very refreshed) at a little before 7:00. Hope that feeling holds for the school week.

2. Shopping trip with C.--we've done a lot of that this weekend! Stopped to get a free latte at Stone Creek (they were giving them out to "celebrate" the time change) before going to Target and Michael's.

3. Got lots of little stuff done at Mom's house (see the blog if you don't follow it) and also learned that my brother will be coming down for Thanksgiving!

11/1/08

1. It was another beautiful day weather-wise. It's nice to have November start like this!

2. Shopping at Kohl's. They had clearance up to 90% off, plus I had a 15% off coupon. I got some really cute tops for summer next year for $3 to $6 each!

3. Ethnic potluck--Caribbean! We get together with two other families a few times a year and choose an ethnic theme. We had ropa vieja, black beans, two kinds of rice, a pumpkin soup, and vegetable curry, along with fried tostones, yummy rum drinks, and two desserts (mango fool and plantains sauteed in butter with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla served over ice cream).

10/31/08

1. Kids had another day off of school, so that's two "school days" I was able to sleep in. Nice...

2. Lots of shopping with C. We didn't get as much done as we'd hoped, but it was still nice to spend a chunk of time with my daughter.

3. "Date" with G. We went out for coffee and walked around the mall. Beautiful October weather!

10/30/08

1. Got to call DirecTV and tell them what to do with their service ;) I got *way* too much enjoyment from being VERY polite and refusing every single offer that they made.

2. Free dental work. I can't really say that I was happy to go to the dentist (and bring all three kids), but I am so very lucky that G's uncle is a dentist and that he does our work for free.

3. Lunch out at Schlotsky's after the dentist. We no longer have one near us, and I miss it! I got a yummy Fiesta chicken sandwich for lunch.

4. Extra add-on for tutoring one session. This is a friend of a few kids that I currently tutor, and while I won't take on any regulars, since I had the long weekend, w/o anyone to work with, when I was called, I arranged to meet with this student one night.

10/29/08

1. U-Verse is FINALLY hooked up! And it's working! And the high speed internet is FAST! And you can record stuff on the DVR downstairs and watch it on either TV! And I don't know whether to list *any* more good things about today because I simply cannot express how happy I am about U-Verse. omg...

2. also... Mom's U-Verse is hooked up! And it's working! And so is her high speed internet!

3. Besides that, I was able to sneak away briefly to see the kids' Halloween parade at school. This will be T's last Halloween party at the Elementary School...
4. T. had seven friends (all 10 YO boys) over for four hours tonight. They had pizza and played baseball outside, and then video games. Perhaps the best part was when they were trying to decide what wii game to play. The only game that everyone was happy with? American Idol Karaoke Revolution! :)

10/28/08

1. Filled up the van with gas for under $35!

2. Got three phone calls from AT&T and the final (???) installation is set for tomorrow morning at 8:00 am. Could it possibly be?

3. Knitting Club--always fun. I started a baby hat and got up to the decrease area already!

10/27/08

1. Though T. was up in the middle of the night complaining about his ear hurting, he felt fine this morning.

2. Ran to Home Depot to pick up some "finishing" things for Mom's house, and Mom drove! (it was the first time since her surgery)

3. Out for lunch--Pizza Hut buffet. Yummy pizza, breadsticks, salad and cavatappi!

4. Done with "work" for the week! (tutoring only Sunday and Monday this week)

5. M. wrote a really cute “short story” for a classmate who is moving to Boston. After she brought it home, she and C. decided to write a book together. C. wrote the words and M. illustrated it. Also very, very cute!(Whee; A short story by M.)

(Once there were two great friend's. They loved each other. THE END)

10/26/08

1. Leisurely reading of the Sunday paper while drinking coffee (and after taking ibuprofen for party-induced headache).

2. Out to International Pancake House for breakfast. I had a yummy Mexican omelette.

3. T. went trick-or-treating with a friend, and no parents, for the first time. He was gone almost all two hours. C. (and friends) took M. TOTing. M. lasted an hour and a half! I think C. had fun TOTing, though she considers herself "too old". Pics:

4. My neighbor and I built a fire and sat outside to hand out candy during TOT time. It was VERY cold, but the fire helped and it was nice to relax and socialize, too.

10/25/08

1. Slept in really late, and woke to yummy coffee in the Bunn coffee maker. Totally worth the $37!

2. The kids carved pumpkins--mostly on their own!

3. M's last soccer game of the season

4. Pumpkin carving at Schoolhouse Park with the Girl Scouts.

5. Halloween costume party at the house of dear family friends of ours. They do a HUGE bash every year (most halloween decorations than I've seen in most stores :)) and it's always fun. Our costumes turned out pretty well, too:

10/24/08

1. Though M. was up (and kept me up) most of the night coughing, she seemed just fine this morning and was able to go to school. She *hated* missing school on Wednesday this week.

2. In a series of "what next?" moments, Mom lost a crown last night. However, we were able to get her in to see our wonderful local dentist this afternoon.

3. C. and her friends came after school and hung out here for pizza and to get ready for the dance tonight. Such cuteness:
4. While the girls were at the dance, my neighbor and I went to Target. It was fun to socialize and shop, and I found a Bunn coffee maker (regularly $150) on clearance for $37! I can't wait to try it tomorrow.

10/23/08

1. M's feeling better and went to school. She also had her first Daisies (Girl Scouts) meeting after school and came home wearing her cute little blue Daisy vest. :)

2. Received (via email) a bunch of pictures from rehearsals of BIG: The Musical (which C. is in). They brightened my day:
3. No tutoring tonight (after a busy week), which means I can crawl into bed at 8:00 and watch TV...

10/22/08

1. M. woke up with a goopy eye, so I called her in sick. It was nice to have some extra snuggle time and to have her around all day. :) (and she really missed school, so that's nice, too)

2. Great trip grocery shopping! I spent $82, saved $47, and was over $100 before coupons, so I got *two* of the certificate things to save up for gift cards.

3. Mom's moving around so much better--and doing things that she probably shouldn't be doing yet (like unloading the dishwasher and scouring the sink!), but it makes me happy to see her doing well.

10/21/08

1. I have my own internet access again!!!! :) Still don't have the U-Verse, but at least they re-connected the DSL.

2. Errand-running at Target (and Costco and Michael's). Found some cute Xmas gifts at Target.

3. Knitting Club--always a good time.

10/20/08

1. Out for coffee with Mom and two other wonderful friends. It was Mom's first social outing since the surgery and she did great! And it was (as always) so nice to chat with friends!

2. We got a new couch! Friends of ours who are in the process of moving are downsizing and they have furniture that doesn't fit in their new house. So we have a cool blue leather sleeper sofa now in our basement!

3. We got HIT by the Halloween Phantom... or Booed...or whatever you want to call it (basically the nice version of ding dong ditch where you leave Halloween goodies behind). The kids are busy deciding which friends *they* want to hit. I'll be running to Target tomorrow... ;)

10/19/08

1. I set 250 bulbs today. OMG, am I in pain! ;) But it'll be worth it come spring, right? Tulips, Crocuses (Crocii?) and Narcissus (Narcissi?)...

2. All three kids did a fantastic job raking today! G. was putting in windows in Mom's house and I was setting bulbs so I chased them outside. It was a beautiful fall day and they started raking all on their own. Our tree's dropped almost all of its leaves, so I hope all the leaves that fall now can be mulched with the lawn mower.

3. It was a nice weekend overall with not much to do or places to be. We mostly hung out as a family and it seems like SO long since we last did that. :)

10/18/08

1. Beautiful weather for M's soccer game. She played really well, too--she's learning the game and has come so far since the beginning of September.

2. Beautiful weather for T's last soccer game of the season. He played wonderfully--doing just what he should and when he should. His whole team played so well as a team (and won 7 to 1). For a team that came together a month and a half ago, they're doing great, too.

3. Did some cooking this afternoon (for us and friends who just moved into their new house). I love to cook and despite this, have been taking lots of shortcuts at mealtimes lately. It felt nice to be back in the swing of things.

4. Best frozen custard of the year with my family for Sweetest Day (Kopp's Chocolate Cherry Kiss). YUMMY!

5. Connected with two *high school* friends on Facebook! One of them I'd not been in touch with since G. and I were married, I think... I love Facebook.

10/17/08

1. Helped in M's PE class--so cute!

2. Got Mom's cabinets and countertops ordered!

3. Ran errands w/ G. and "finalized" our Halloween costumes.

10/16/08

1. Not that the AT&T mess is resolved, but I did NOT stay home all day and wait on hold for hours at a time. I got one very nice (but non-productive) phonecall from them, and that was it. Still having to "borrow" internet from the neighbors.

2. Ran some shopping errands and ended up at Sears. They had the worst, ugliest, most expensive curtains, but they *did* have a bunch of clearance apparel at $0.99 each. Got seven relatively cute things for dirt cheap.

3. Block Book Club! Another fun night (with great snacks!) spent with great women. And for an hour after the "formal" book club, my neighbor and I talked about the trials of raising 13 year old daughters.

10/15/08

1. I am still trying to figure out SOMETHING positive about my go-around with AT&T over attempting to get U-Verse installed. I want to list something about it, because the battle has (seriously) consumed at least half of my waking hours these last three days. OK, got one: I do not have to work as a Customer Service Rep with AT&T to deal with all the unhappy customers who are calling with complaints about their (lack of) install. How's that? ;)

2. OK, this is a silly one, but... With all the road construction, parking has been insane around here. There are two parking spots directly in front of our house, and one has become a designated handicapped spot. The other one has been occupied by the same vehicle (which has not moved) for about a month. Well, today he moved and I got the spot. ;)

3. Tutoring tonight. One was rearranged from Monday (which was a crazy busy day) and one is rearranged for *next* Sunday, so I have Sunday off!

10/14/08

1. Mom did an amazing job for the PT today. As the PT said, she’s doing fantastic for 4 days post-op.

2. We got a new futon mattress for C’s bedframe and moved her “old” mattress and boxspring to T’s room. I had found a cool comforter set on clearance at Kohl’s, so he got new bedding for his new, bigger bed.

3. Knitting Club, as usual, was a blast. I think we may have set an attendance record ;) I can’t remember if we hit 14 or 15…

10/13/08

1. They poured the concrete for our road! YAY! I'm so sick of dirt and dust and not being able to get in my driveway... Only a week before we can drive on it.

2. Though I was annoyed with AT&T for having to sit home ALL DAY LONG waiting for installation (which didn't occur), I also was able to catch up by watching 5 episodes of ER, back to back while knitting.

3. Mom's home!!! And she's feeling lots better, too.

10/12/08

1. The electrical is *done* at Mom's house! Wow... it really IS becoming reality!

2. I exchanged several emails with a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Though the end result is that I really have no reason to pursue a degree there (this was the one career path I had found most exciting), it was a good dose of reality and very specific information about the program, which (if nothing else) eliminates one place for me to look. In the process, it makes the UWM program more appealing, so that's a good thing, too.

3. I baked an apple pie with the apples we picked yesterday. YUM!

10/11/08

1. Beautiful weather today! We decided to go apple-picking, though I feared it would be too late in the season for any good apples. In fact the apples (Cortland) were BETTER than they've been the last few years we've gone! We got a BIG bag of apples, several butternut squash and some pears. YUM!

2. Went to see Mom twice. She's in a lot of pain, but she says the stuff she's on now (percocet) is much more effective than the morphine they gave her initially. She's doing her PT and OT, though that hurts, too. Her discharge date is Monday or Tuesday.

3. Wonderful fire in the fire pit with friends. It's so amazing to be mid-October and warm enough to be outside until 10:00 at night!

10/10/08

1. $15 coupon at Victoria's Secret--got another of the amazing bras that actually FIT me right. ;)

2. Gas down to under $3 a gallon!

3. Mom's knee surgery went well! As with her lung surgery, she amazed everyone with how well she did.

10/9/08

1. Coffee out (at Bruegger's) with the 5th grade moms.

2. Lunch (at California Pizza Kitchen) with some of the 5th grade moms (since we couldn't stop talking....)

3. Supper out (at Bar Louie) with two of my best friends to celebrate the birthday of one.

(yikes...that's a LOT of eating out...)

10/8/08

1. Helped at the Elementary "Walk to School" Day. It was nice to see parents of the older kids (since kindergarten meets in the front of the school and the other grades in back, I don't see the others regularly)

2. Good day grocery shopping--spent $69; saved $44

3. Went to see Mamma Mia--and it was fantastic~! sooooooo fun.

10/7/08

1. Though C. started off the day feeling sick, she had a speedy recovery.

2. Kids' school pics came back:
3. Found out that M's soccer game for Saturday will have to be rescheduled and since T doesn't have a game this weekend (it's a tournament weekend and they're not in the tournament), we have a soccer-free weekend!

4. First meeting of the year for the PTC (Parent-Teacher Council); it's a school group that I really enjoy being a part of

10/6/08

1. Got a really good night's sleep last night and woke up much refreshed for the busy week ahead.

2. Lots done next door at Mom's place. One room is pretty much "done"!

3. Flannel sheets on the bed.

10/5/08

1. (Relatively) lazy Sunday morning.

2. T's soccer game; though they lost (severely!), T. did a nice job playing defense. He's come a long way this year and really is doing a nice job of playing his position!

3. Yummy Greek food for supper: gyros, hummus, Greek salad

10/4/08

1. Volunteered (with Mom) at the Obama Campaign HQ. I did data entry and Mom made phonecalls.

2. Beautiful day outside; blue, blue skies, slightly warmer temps, and just pretty weather.

3. Out with G. for our anniversary. We went to Bravo! and split lobster and crab ravioli (topped with shrimp) and crab cakes (served with roasted potatoes and green beans) and got tiramisu for dessert. YUM!

10/3/08

1. Though it took longer than we'd planned (over 4 hours actually), we got a really cool layout done at Home Depot for Mom's kitchen! I can picture how it'll all look... :)

2. Harvest Festival at the kids' school; I let T. pretty much go on his own (now that he has a cell phone) and M. and I grabbed a snack before it got too cold to stay any longer.

3. Again, 13 YO cuteness--this time a combination of three things: 8th grade picture day and all that preparation; big sisters helping out by volunteering to work at the Elementary Harvest Festival; all the preparations for Homecoming and finding as many ways to incorporate blue and white into their outfits.

10/2/08

1. My anniversary! G. and I have been married 15 years!

2. Attended a very informative Open House at the Medical College of Wisconsin today. All of their graduate programs sound so unbelievably fascinating and SO much more exciting than anything else I've looked at. But they are also insanely competitive and I just don't have the pre-req's for them. So while I enjoyed the presentations, they also made me a little sad...

3. M's make-up soccer game today. It's just so cute to see the kids in uniforms WAY too big for them running around on the field and actually playing soccer!

4. My wonderful Mom and my great friends who all pitch in to do all sorts of things when I have other stuff that keeps me away from home for chunks of the day. There's no way I could do the things that I do without all of their help.

10/1/08

1. Excellent grocery shopping trip. Not only did I save over $80, I "only" spent a bit over $100. And I got so much stuff that the freezer is FULL of meat and veggies.

2. Hauled out the Halloween decorations and stuff (since it IS October now) and had fun going through things and seeing the kids dress up in what I'd put aside from last year. Especially fun was seeing C. squeeze into the costume I'd bought for M. (Incidentally, M. wanted *nothing* to do with said costume until C. tried it on)

3. Cuteness of C. heading out to be in her first Homecoming Parade! It drizzled during the parade, so the rest of the family didn't go (we were going to bike up), but she had fun.

9/30/08

1. Errand running--and finding lots of deals! I only spent $43 at Target ;) And I found a lot of things for my Mom and her house, too.

2. Got information from the Medical College of Wisconsin about an Open House on Thursday for their Graduate Studies. I would love to do something in the medical field involving research and lab work, but don't know if my undergrad work is enough to apply for advanced education there. Guess Thursday will be the perfect opportunity to find out! :)

3. Received some information about a long-term Science subbing position at Nicolet (the next school district north of here) from mid-October to late November. It would be a nice, short test to see if I'd enjoy it. I have to see if it would work, and see how much it would pay.

4. Very funny story related to me by the mother of one of M's classmates. When Mom and I were out of town this weekend, G. had to get all three kids different places at the same time, and enlisted the help of several people. So the mom who drove M. to a birthday party related some funny stories about M. My favorite was where she said that M. said, "Sometimes M. likes to talk in third person."

5. Excellent Knitting Group--as always!

9/29/08

1. I got to be the PE helper in M's class today. It was cute to see all her classmates and neat to "meet" the ones that I didn't already know.

2. Received an email from the Medical College's Graduate program about an Open House this Thursday. I had contacted them to find out about their programs and this sounds like a perfect opportunity to learn more.

3. We actually have a pumpkin! I planted a whole package of pumpkin seeds and many vines grew, but one of them grew up the Arbor Vitae and that is the only vine that produced a pumpkin!

4. Out for Chinese food for C's half birthday. Her actual 13 1/2 birthday was yesterday, but we had so much other stuff going on that we decided to celebrate today.

9/28/08

1. Good trip back "down South" with Mom. The weather was decent; traffic wasn't too bad, and the fall colors were BEAUTIFUL! Photos don't do it justice, but here's a few:2. SOOOOOO nice to be home! As much as I like "vacationing", I like coming home even more. :)

3. Mother-Daughter Book Club; I love this group. We have great book conversations, and then the moms (who are all great) have Mom talk, and the girls (who are a wonderful group of 13 YO's) have girl talk--although tonight's "girl talk" was some sort of snorting game... it sounded like a pigpen in the living room! :)

4. Quick little date with G. We went out to grab a cup of coffee and catch up on the things we missed in each others' weekends.