GS Halloween Party!

The party was a HUGE success.   As some of you may know, T was dressing up as Medusa.   In anticipation thereof, I thought it would be appropriate for her to have crazy curly hair.   Of course,  Taylor's beautiful shiny black hair is straight as an arrow, and doesn't really hold much of a curl.  So, I figured....

Hair curlers!

Off we went to CVS, and found spongy "hair rags".  The curlers were all too big.   I also searched the store for some Dippity Do, to make sure the curls held.  Much to my dismay, dippity do is not for sale there.  

As we were leaving the section, I spied the head gear.   For most of my life, my mom wore one of these satin shower caps to bed.   Either over her curlers or over her hairdo, as she insisted it kept it from getting messed up.   It was only in her later years that she stopped wearing them.   So, I got one for T.  She was VERY excited...

I'm happy to report that her hair turned out great.  Of course, the curls immediately started falling, but none the less stayed wavy all night.   We sprayed her with hot pink color and gold glitter and she was good to go.

Meanwhile, I dressed up as a vampire victim.   Black dress, white make up, red lipstick drooling blood, and two red dots on my neck completed the look.  I also found my bats headband , which I thought nicely completed the look.    Some crazy make up for T and me, and we were done!

Finally, our first guest arrived.  A sweet butterfly from T's class. 

The party itself was lots of fun.   I had the girls sing halloween carols, which  are basically xmas songs with halloween words, we played pin the nose on the pumpkin, Boogo (halloween Bingo), bobbed for apples, threw sticky plastic spiders at a web like darts, and made halloween masks with one of those foam craft kits.

The hit of the night was the bobbing for apples and also pinning the nose on the pumpkin. 

Everybody left by around 11:00. 

Dot and I dove into bed, exhausted from all the fun.  

Now, onto the main event on Wednesday!  Happy Boo day everybody!!

Halloween Party

As you may have figured out, I've been kind of busy around here.   Dot has been out in Idaho, coming back for a Saturday and returning on sunday.   Plus....I've been in full party planning mode.  We're having a GS Halloween Party on Friday.   Its a teacher work day, and I've taken the day off.  

The girls will come in costume.  I'm going to try and pull together a witch or vampira costume for me.  Black dress, scary make up , crazy hair.  that about does it.

We'll be having pin the nose on the pumpkin, bobbing for apples, halloween bingo, mask decorating, yummy food and drinks.   Should be a fun time.

Between girl scouts and school, November is going to be chock full of fun (read:  exhausting) events what with the holidays coming, T's carnival, etc.

I'm vowing to post more.

I Survived....by the skin of my teeth!!

Well, I'm happy to report that I survived, with no serious injuries.  Physically.

Mentally?   I'm not so sure. 

I can say it was not as bad as I was anticipating.   I met some really wonderful women and learned quite a bit from them.   My lunch went over fabulously.   I brought ham and turkey.  Squeeze mayo and mustard.  Cheese and bread, and also some prepared salads.

Part of my duties was to bring some foil.   I was in target and found it on sale 2 for 1.   I looked, found the Reynolds Wrap, and found the box that said non-stick.  My sissy raves about the foil that is non stick.   I must say I love it too.   My cheese from my pizza slices NEVER stick to the foil in my toaster oven.  Its the best.

Well.  Who knew that Reynolds Wrap makes something other than tin foil??   I certainly didn't. I mean, I call foil Reynolds Wrap...no matter who makes it.   apparently, they also make some BS item called pan lining.   Its foil with paper on the back, that one apparently lines casserole dishes when they have no teflon.

I can't tell you the crazy looks and jokes made at my expense.   I figure that's what they get for assigning that task to the non-cook.   Luckily, another woman in our group brought some too.

I'm also the woman who jumped up screaming and hitting myself to "get the bug off", when we were sitting around the camp fire.   Um, there was no bug to be found.   It was the end of the rope wrapped around my waist that was tickling me.


I'm also the woman who started yelling, who's got the bug spray, when a HUGE spider was hanging over some of the women's heads as we sat at a pic nic table.   Um, apparently another huge no no.  Bug spray is apparently not allowed at camps.  

The bug world, however, got their revenge.   Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a major phobia with roaches.   If there is a palmetto bug around, it will gravitate to me.   ALWAYS. 

As we all were laying around in our bunk beds in our air conditioned cabins, someone noticed a palmetto bug on the ceiling.   It, of course, started heading toward me.    Where else would it head??

I jumpted and ran to the bathroom screaming, while the other ladies dealt with it.   Of course, it ran...right into my bed.   ICK!!

Long time later and after stripping my bed of its bedclothes, the roach was finally killed. 

this was at midnight.  

I got no sleep for the rest of the night.   I was too traumatized from the frickin palmetto bug.  Because as we all know....where there's one,   there's 10.  

After 2 hours sleep, we could finally wake up, eat breakfast, and head home.

Mission Accomplished.  

I am now camp-certified.   I think our first camp out will be my house, followed by some other inside venue, followed perhaps by Disney's fort wilderness, where they will pitch the tent for you, man the camp fire for you, and deliver pizza if you wish...not room service, but rather tent service.

Just my speed!! 

Planning for camping

Well, I went to the camp planning meeting.    We broke up into teams of 6 or 7 to plan for our big camp out.  Of course, we will be at Camp Choee, which is GS camping lite.   We will be camping in cbs block cabins, complete with cots, mattresses, and a/c.   I'm thrilled.  Plus, bathrooms are in the cabins.  No tromping across the camp at night, dodging all sort of crazed creatures like foxes, raccoons, and armadillos.  

I'm thrilled.


I'm twice thrilled b/c I was assigned lunch.   The group voted for sandwiches.  So, I'm in charge of bringing all the fixings and preparing the sandwiches.   Perfect!   If the GS teachers insist, I supposed I can attempt to toast the bread over the fire, but I don't think that's required.

I, of course, said instead of me schlepping all  the fixings down to the camp...why don't I just pick up subway already prepared.   Well, that caused the GS teachers to spontaneously huddle up in a conference, come to our table and announce that my ingenous idea of picking up subway defeats the point of the training...which is planning the meal and remembering to bring the required stuff to prepare it. 

damn.

I think my team is very clever volunteering me for the non-cook meal.   They did that themselves without me pushing the idea.  

The camp out is not this weekend, but next.   I need to buy a bandana for the experience, and a dunk bag to hold my plate cup and utensils.  

They also announced that no alcohol is allowed.  Hmm.  I'm not a Florida Gator for nothing.  I've snuck more booze into more places than they can imagine.   I'm thinking some baileys, kahlua based drink for the end of the night, to make us sleep soundly. If anyone asks, I'll just claim its iced coffee. 

There is an ice machine at the camp.

SCORE!!

On the mend...

Well, I'm happy to say that I'm on the mend.   I've been self medicating with drugs I had in the house.   Taking what was prescribed for me when I was having problems with discs in my neck.   Its worked like a charm so far with my lower back disc.   I was walking w/o the walker by late wednesday.  

I was able to go to a girl scout meeting on thursday night.  Luckily, I had a friend scheduled to come to lead the meeting, so i just had to walk to the scout house, sit in a chair, and walk back to the car.   The other moms help cart around my stuff for me.   I survived, but it was a very dicey thing. I probably should not have gone, but all was already arranged. 

 I used the walker the rest of the night at home, popped more meds, and watched the presidents speech at the DNC.  That's right, anyone who knows me, knows I was drinking the Koolaid, inhaling the smoke of all that was the glorty of the democratic convention.  Took the time to read the actual GOP platform online, and once again reaffirmed my conviction that I am a die-hard democrat. NOT. EVEN. CLOSE.   My sign's in the yard, my bumperstickers are on my car, and I'm hoping everyday for 4 more years.   End of political content!


Monday I'm off to work.  It will be interesting to see how long I last.  

Meanwhile, T had a ball at the GS meeting.  It was the first real meeting of the year.   We earned the painting badge.   Close readers of this blog no I am no artist.  So, I had my friend Jodie come in.  She gave a quick lecture on styles of painting and different applications, then the girls got dirty.  Literally.

First, we made puffy paint.   That is paint made with shaving cream, elmers glue, and food coloring.  Classic girl scout endeavor.   The girls were thrilled and used the concoction to create a color, to paint a mood.   I was laughing.   As soon as the shaving cream came out all the moms jumped up to do it for the girls.  I had to caution them, telling them to let the girls do it themselves.  That's the fun of it right?   I'm happy to report there were no impromptu shaving cream fights.  

then, the girls practiced painting with things other than paint.   q-tips, straws, cotton balls, sponges, etc.  

Lastly, the girls used watercolors to paint a picture on canvass boards I got them.  Like real artists.   They did great!

A quick snack and we were out the door by 8:00 p.m.  

Badge Earned!

No news is not good news

Nope, this time no news means I threw my back out today.   Bent down to move a pillow in my chair before I sat down, and felt a big pain in my back.   This seems a bit different than all the other times, as it hurts more.  Praying that it eases up soon, as i ahve a girl scout meeting on thursday.   Hope I don't have to cancel that!

Luckily, it happened this week and not next, when dot is out of town for 2 weeks.

The Taj Mahal of Utility Rooms....and hurricanes.

Have I mentioned that I have the frickin' Taj Mahal of utility rooms?   As I mentioned my new dryer was delivered on Friday.   To get the thing in and connected, we had to take out the washer and also the utility sink.   Once the room was emptied...I started thinking that this would be an ideal time to paint.  I mean really, once everything was put back, I suspect it would be another 15 years before everything was out again.   So I had a spare can of khaki green paint laying around.  I had bought it when we were re'doing my parent's kitchen.   I slapped that paint on the walls and I LOVE it!  All I want to do is stand in my tiny utility room and stare.

In other news, we've been dodging raindrops today in anticipation of Isaac.  Woke up this morning and it seemed to be coming right at us.  We broke into action filling up our cars and putting up and/or closing our shutters.   We also went over the closed the shutters at my dad's house.   The plan is for us to go over there tomorrow, and probably sleep there.   He has a nasty habit of wanting to go out in the hurricane to "fix" things.   We'll be over there to help keep that from happening.  Luckily, he has cable and not satellite, so we will have TV all storm long. 

 

So, we're hoping for the best.  T had the age-old hurricane prep dinner of ice cream.  Gotta eat it all up before it melts.   We'll be taking some vanilla over to my dads, along with some jamaican rum.   I'm thinking I'll be partaking of a spiked milk shake.  Haven't had one of those since my days in G'ville and the Chelsea street pub. 

 

Stay dry everyone!

 

First day of Second Grade!

 How in the world did I forget to post about the first day of school???  T decided to wear her skirt, a new addition to the uniform.   Luckily, its actually a skort which is a good thing for modesty's sake.

T has taken to doing cartwheels...in all places all the time.   She will be walking here or there, doesn't really matter where, and break into a few cartwheels.   The skort means that her plaid bottoms don't end up around her ears.

T is very happy with her teacher, and the students in her class. 

In other news, my dryer died.   I can't complain.  My dad bought the thing 15 years ago from the jewish thrift store.   It was about 10 to 15 years old then.  Paid about 50 bucks for it.   It didn't work.   50 bucks later and a new belt, and the thing has been working great for the last 15 years...until the other day.  It was a maytag!   So, today I went out to Se@ars and bought a new one.    Kenmore Elite.   Very new fangled.   I also got one of those pedastal drawers to raise the thing about 15 inches, which is HUGE for anyone with a bad back.   The thing gets delivered tomorrow.     I'm very interested to see if this one, which cost SUBSTANTIALLY more money than 120 bucks, will last 25 to 30 years.   I'm hoping for 8  :(

 

Here's T in her new classroom.  We were there bright and early, so there weren't too many kids in class.   Typical with that age, the boys and girls were sitting separately by their own choice.   Too bad that doesn't last through jr high.

 

 

Olympic Fever

Not much to report, other than I've caught olympic fever, and I'm dragging ass all day b/c I've been up all damned night watching the games.  

We're going to start some serious sleep training next week in anticipation for school starting.   We've gotten very lazy over the summer staying up late and sleeping in.  Oh how its going to hurt getting her to school by 8 a.m.

Breaking Blog News!!!!

Oh my word....I just learned that the modern dance portion is not modern dance at all.....IT'S BATON!!!!

Now I'm going to have to stress over whether she'll drop the thing or not.  

How do these Olympic moms do it???