Other People's Kids Say Embarrassing Things, Too? Plus: State Fair Stories

Well, I can't believe it's the last day of August! I've been so busy this summer, I haven't really had that much time to enjoy it. This last week was no exception! Last weekend was fantastic. On Saturday night, I went out with my high school girlfriends, and we had a great time. I haven't been able to spend much time with them lately, so having the chance to go out dancing with my girls was so much fun! I was in a great mood all week, because I'd actually had a night off from being Mommy! It was definitely needed, and I definitely appreciated the break.

In the last two weeks, a lot of progress has been made in terms of the bus. The interior is finished, it's finally getting painted, vinyl prints were ordered, the mats arrived, and t-shirts came in. LOTS of progress. Things are beginning to come together, and we are finally getting some advertising done! Charley has been a great advertisement for GO! Gymnastics. I gave her a t-shirt the day it came in, and I've had to fight her NOT to wear it, ever since. Basically the only clothes she will take off her 'gymnastics shirt' for are a swimsuit, and her Disney Princess shirt. And it's not like she just asks to wear it. She screams bloody murder when I try to take it off of her! I had to give her two shirts, so I can wash one while she's wearing the other. I've been doing a ton of laundry, but I suppose I should ride this phase out while it lasts! On another note, the bus was supposed to be done last week. And it's not. But I think that's to be expected in any construction-related industry, right? Two weeks actually means a month? That's my thought! It should be finished this week, though, and everything will be together well before National Gymnastics Day.

Sunday I taught several private lessons, which kept me pretty busy. On Monday, I finally made it to the gym to work out, which has been difficult the last few weeks. It's not that I don't want to go. I do! It's my only break! But between working at the gym, and getting everything together with the bus, it can be impossible to make it to the gym while the childcare center is open. Anyway, I went to the gym on Monday, proudly sporting my GO! Gymnastics shirt. As I was working out, I noticed a good-looking guy watching me. I've seen him there before, but never noticed him looking at me. I DID notice that there wasn't a ring on his finger. But I didn't think much of it, and just figured he was reading my t-shirt, trying to figure out what it was for. So, I finished my weight lifting and left to get Charley.  He must have left just after I did, because Charley and I passed him on the stairs, and he laughed at some comment Charley made (go figure). I smiled and said something to the extent of, "Always something with a toddler!" I don't remember. But anyway, there was a bit of an exchange. As I walked Charley to the car, and started to get her buckled in, I noticed him walking out with his daughters. They looked like they were about 5 and 7, or somewhere in that range. He was chatting with them, and as they walked in our direction, I heard one of his daughters say, loudly, "But Dad, I can SMELL that you farted!" His face turned all different shades of red, and he glanced in my direction. I could almost hear him asking himself, "Did she hear that?" Ummm...yes I did. And it was hilarious. It's a good thing I had my head down, buckling Charley in, because otherwise he would have seen my eyes well up with tears as I tried to hold in my laughter. It was so funny! I've decided to share this story, because I've told it to several people, and as I've verbally repeated it, and Charley has noticed people laughing in response, she's picked up the phrase. I even heard her tell Oscar, "Oscar, I can smell that you farted!" I'm so nervous that she's going to drop that bomb on me in public! My fingers are crossed that she forgets...soon!

Saving this photo forever...

So, that was Monday. The rest of the week was spent doing planning for the preschool program at KGC, National Gymnastics Day, and of course, getting everything lined up to launch the bus in September. Charley and I got to squeeze in a little playdate, too, with one of her best friends! I didn't have as many private lessons scheduled as usual (which was intentional), and I definitely got a lot done, but got to have some fun, too. On Wednesday, Charley and I went to the MN State Fair with my sister, Kelsey. It's a family tradition to go early...like 6:30 a.m. early...and we stuck to that tradition this year. Honestly, it was one of the best visits to the State Fair that I've had in years. We beat the crowd and the heat, and got to explore the fair while it was relatively quiet. Charley absolutely had a blast. She loved riding the rides, particularly the cars. She has a strange obsession with driving a car. Anyway, after riding 3 different cars, it was time for us to leave that part of the fair. She wasn't happy about it. She threw a mini-tantrum, hit me, and earned herself a little time out. This gave me (well, technically Kelsey), the opportunity to capture the best time out picture ever. After her time out, Charley was suddenly in much better spirits, and ready to explore the rest of the fair. She is a funny kid like that. She knows when she needs a time out, and typically recovers quickly.

Apple pie...the breakfast of champions!

We went back to the fair today, with my dad, Scott, and Kelsey, and again, had a great time. Charley and I didn't stay long, but I'm really glad we went. We got to see a few things we missed out on last time, and have some nice family time. It was nice. It was also nice that my mom and Mark took Charley to lunch this afternoon, and gave me some time to run errands. It's definitely faster to get things accomplished without a toddler by my side. Although, I love having my little toddler by my side! This afternoon, we met with one of my good friends for an early Happy Hour. It's not a normal part of my daily life, but it's a holiday weekend, right? We had a great conversation, Charley was amused and entertained for an hour, and I got to relax. That's my kind of afternoon!

Now, going into the next week, I've got a lot to look forward to. It's FINALLY going to be my 30th birthday, which I've been more excited about than dreading, probably because I know my 30s will be at least as exciting as my 20s, the bus will be finished, I'll take on more of the preschool load at the gym, and I'll get a chance to promote my new venture. It's a lot, but I know everything will settle in soon. For now, I'm going to relax on the couch, and wish everybody a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!

"It's Mommy's Birthday!"...Not

Ok, this entry is going to be short, because I blogged yesterday, but Charley did something today that I thought was worth sharing. Definitely laugh-worthy. So, I've determined all of the birthdays right now have Charley a little bit confused. Last week, my nephew and sister had their birthdays, and today is my dad's birthday. My birthday is in just over a week, but I'm going out to celebrate my birthday with friends this weekend. Needless to say, there's been a lot of birthday talk around the house lately.

Well, today I had a private lesson with two great girls. They've been best friends since they were toddlers, their families are close, and they're just fun to coach.  I meet with them several times a week, and Charley adores both the girls, and one of their moms, 'Miss Mary.' For most of my private lessons, I arrange child care for Charley. But Miss Mary loves to play with Charley, so when I teach the girls, Charley usually comes along. Today, Miss Mary took her to Byerly's to look at the lobsters in the lobster tank, and keep her amused during the girls' lesson. Well today, while they were there, Charley told Miss Mary that it was MY birthday. "It's Mommy's birthday!" she exclaimed. "She's 30!" Now Mary is aware that I have an upcoming birthday, but she doesn't know the date. So, she went with it. She told Charley they should get me a present! Charley spotted something, and she said, "That's it! A present for Mommy!" Mary questioned her a little bit, but she insisted. What was this incredible present I just had to have? A yellow pepper. Ha! I do eat a lot of peppers, so it's great. I'll put it on my salad tonight. But how funny!

So, they get back to the gym with about 10 minutes left in the lesson, and Charley came running right at me with a bouquet of flowers, squealing, "Happy Birthday, Mommy! I bought you flowers!" Ha! Imagine the look on my face as the other coaches gave me quizzical looks, like, "Is it your birthday?!" Ummm, no, it is not my birthday. But the way Charley broadcasted it, I'm sure everyone believed her! The gesture was so nice, though, and much appreciated. I'm very lucky to have several 'Miss Mary's' in my life. With all of Charley's enthusiasm about my birthday, imagine my surprise when we stopped at my dad's house, she refused to tell HIM happy birthday. Typical!

My "Un-Birthday" Presents from Charley and Miss Mary. I'm a lucky Mom!

Progress and Pre-30th Party!

Phew, it's been a crazy couple of days! Charley finally got over her virus, or whatever it was, but then my dad got sick, and had to have his gall bladder taken out. Thank goodness the surgery went well, and he's healing and resting at home, but ugh! He was planning to be out of the country for a birthday trop next week, and now he isn't going to get to go. He's thrilled, as I'm sure you can imagine. All of the sick family stuff happened during the busiest birthday time in my family. My sister and nephew share a birthday on the 17th, my dad's birthday is tomorrow, and mine is on September 3. All of that, and the bus is coming together, I've been working more at the gym...Basically, I've been the Energizer Bunny for a couple of days, but even with the craziness, it's getting REALLY exciting. This bus will be done within a week, and then it's a matter of getting out there and making things happen! It's a little (or a LOT) intimidating, but so exhilarating at the same time!

Last weekend, my mom volunteered to watch Charley on Saturday night for a few hours, and I actually got to go out for a little bit! That was the first time in several months that I've gotten a night off. It was great! I met up with a girlfriend, and my little sister tagged along for a little bit. It was her 21st birthday, and even though she'd partied it up with her friends the night before, I didn't think it was right to stay in on her big day! So she came out, got a free birthday Kamikaze, gossiped about The Real Housewives for a bit (we all agreed that Gretchen might be the most annoying housewife ever) and then she headed home. My friend and I hung around for a bit, chit chatting, and laughing at the karaoke that was going on behind us, before heading home before midnight. You know you're almost 30 and a parent when going home at 11:00 feels like it's been a party night!

Speaking of almost 30, YES, I'm almost 30. It's crazy, because when I was younger I had my life totally planned out. I'd go to college, get a job, get married, have kids, and be totally stable in my adult life when I turned 30. Well, I accomplished many of those things. I went to college, got a job, got married, had a kid. I also lived in 3 different states, drove across the country with a toddler and a dog, got a divorce,started dating, and ALMOST got business up and running before my 30th birthday. So, I accomplished part of my bucket list, and even a few things that weren't on the list! Now I have to start thinking toward my 30s and what I want to accomplish during those years. I'm trying not to plan too much, though, because I just want to let life happen and see where it leads. It's all starting this weekend, when I go out with my girlfriends and really let loose for a night. I can't wait! We're going dancing, and  we're going to party like we're nowhere near 30. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if I'm home before bar-close! Ha- That won't happen if Rena has anything to say about it!

On another note, I had one of my friends over the other night for dinner and a little bit of trashy TV watching. I know I mentioned the Real Housewives earlier, and it really is my guilty pleasure. However, I'm not ashamed to say that I block out an hour every week to catch up with the OC ladies. Their lives are so dramatic and ridiculous, that they make my life seem fairly normal! Anyway, it was nice to have a visitor! I had a couple of my friends over last week, which was great, but Charley wouldn't go to sleep while they were here. This week, she went to bed early...she actually fell asleep on the couch, which meant I got to have an adult conversation for the first time in a long time! They say people come into your life for a reason, and I definitely believe that's true. I'm enjoying getting to know some new friends. Friends that have no motives, other than to be friends. I just say that, because when I was doing the online dating thing, and meeting new men, nobody went into it looking for friendships. They went into it looking for dates and everything that goes along with those. It's been good for me to make more female friends, who can relate to my parental struggles (oddly enough, Charley is NOT the only strong-willed 2-year-old on the planet). I'm trying to figure out how I can spend more time with all of my girlfriends, because I've been so absorbed with work lately, I haven't found my balance yet. Maybe that will be my goal for the first month of my 30s. Try to find a balance, time for friends, and time for myself. I might have to schedule it in, but I actually like that as a goal!

I'm jumping around a little bit today, but I figure I've written enough of the philosophical nonsense for one night, and I thought I would talk a little bit about the bus! GO! Gymnastics is almost ready to launch, and the bus is currently in progress. It's crazy that it's happening so quickly! So far, the seats have been removed, the flooring installation has started, painting is underway, all the major mats, games, and supplies have been purchased, the Web site is in the works (I can't WAIT to see the progress on that), business cards have arrived, t-shirts have been ordered....There are so many things to do, but we're making progress! Now of course, something had to go wrong. The people who were going to pad the walls for us came in with a ridiculously high quote, so we have to go to plan B (honestly, more like plan G at this point) for the wall padding. Everything else seems to be falling into place, though. At the same time, though, in a matter of a week, I will be driving around the Twin Cities in a giant, blue, school bus. I'm actually frightened by that thought...Ha!

Alright, back to work. I've got e-mails to send, and flyers to design before bed. More soon!

Jean Shorts Stigma and a Sick Kiddo!

The last week has been incredibly busy. Actually, the whole summer has been pretty busy, but as things are coming together with the bus, my time seems to disappear at an incredibly fast rate. Anybody who saw my FB post about a ridiculous ladder purchase, likely can tell that my plate is pretty full right now, getting things started with GO! Gymnastics. It's been mostly phone calls and meetings in my life lately, but I've managed to get some quality Charley-time in, too, which is my favorite kind of time.

Seal show at the zoo!

Last Sunday, Charley and I went to the Como Zoo with my friend Kim. I totally prefer the Minnesota Zoo, but Como is so close to where I live, and it's free! It's just so easy to make a day of it at Como with my little monkey. Anyway, we had a great time, looking at animals and wandering through the various exhibits. It was nice to catch up with Kim, too, because we've both been busy lately and hadn't had a chance to chat much. One of my favorite moments of the day was when Kim pointed out a guy to me. "Look, a single dad! He's good looking, no ring on his finger..." I looked, and saw who she was talking about. He was a decent looking guy, but as we walked more in his direction, we both simultaneously said, "But he's in jean shorts." Ha! What is it with women and guys in jean shorts? I think there's a very specific type of guy who wears jean shorts. Any time I see a guy in denim shorts, I think of my friend Brandon, from KU. Brandon and I were pretty good friends for a long time. He was a good looking guy, and generally had a decent sense of style. But once during the first week of school, he made the mistake of wearing jean shorts. That was when everybody on our floor was getting to know each other, and (sorry guys) but every guy on the floor got a nickname. Creepy Joe, Big Larry, and, of course...Jean Shorts Brandon. Ha! He wasn't thrilled with the nickname. "One time!" he would complain,"I wore jean shorts ONE TIME!" Sadly, once you've been given a nickname, it's hard to lose it. I still call him Jean Shorts Brandon, when he comes up in conversation. Anyway, back to the guy at the zoo... there is a stigma associated with jean shorts, and they're a total turnoff. I just thought it was funny that it hit Kim and me at the same time!

Monday was a packed day. Charley and I met friends for coffee, then returned home, where she played with her little buddy Sawyer for most of the day. I did some housework, LOTS of bus-related paperwork, and even had time to play with the kids. It's wonderful, because Sawyer lives just a few doors down. The kids played at Sawyer's house for awhile, then came over to our house for a bit. They got plenty of playtime, and both moms got a little bit of a break. Woohoo! The one negative to Monday's playdate was the fact that Sawyer got sick on Tuesday. I read his mom's post about a sick kid on Tuesday, and braced myself, because I knew it would hit Charley, too. It was just a matter of time.

Tuesday night, a couple of my girlfriends came over. It was like Charley knew they were coming. She's gotten so good at going to sleep lately, that I didn't rush home from the gym to put her to bed. Well, Tuesday, she decided she didn't want to go to bed. She'd have her eyes closed, and breathe heavily, but the minute I left the room, it was, "Mommy! Mommy, where are you?" Anyway, it was clear that she would not go to sleep while they were over, so I gave in, and let her be "Party Charley." She was wide awake and mostly well-behaved, except for the time I caught her sneaking chocolate covered pretzels. It was my own fault, leaving them within her reach! Ha! It was great to catch up with the girls, although it would have been nice if I hadn't been halfway in mommy-mode while they were here. Oh well, next time she will be asleep!

Sick Charley, snuggling her baby.

Sure enough, Charley spiked a fever yesterday afternoon, and has been a total crab ever since.
It's really hard when Charley gets sick, because she's not exactly at the point where she tells me what's wrong. She knows she doesn't feel well. But she doesn't tell me what hurts. She fights taking Tylenol, but feels much better after she's had some. Most of all, she doesn't know what she wants when she's sick. Generally, I work all day on Fridays, teaching private lessons. When Charley got a fever yesterday, I canceled all of my lessons for today. She woke up crabby, but was excited to go over to my dad's house and play with his dogs today. Charley had some medicine before we got there, and by the time we got settled in, she had a sudden burst of energy. She requested food (which she really didn't do at all yesterday), and seemed to be feeling a little bit better. Around 11, she started looking groggy, and said she wanted to ride in the car. Charley is notorious for having a hard time falling asleep, and it's frustrating for both of us. She gets it from me, so I can relate. Anyway, sometimes the motion of the car helps soothe her to sleep, so I was more than happy to take her for a ride. Sure enough, we got in the car, and what did she do? She started screaming for Oscar (our dog). "I want to go see OSCAR!" she wailed, at the top of her lungs. I was worried the cop in the car next to me would hear her and pull me over! I drove for about 10 minutes before I finally gave up, and went back to my dad's house, so she could see Oscar. We got inside, and what do you think she did? "I want to ride in the car!!!!" she screamed. I wasn't falling for that one again! I stuck it out with the crying for about 10 minutes, and she fell asleep. The poor kid has been in an out of sleep since about 4:30 this afternoon, but I'm hoping she will feel better in the morning. Charley kind of forced me to slow down the last couple of days, although I've been doing a lot of computer work, because I'm not great with the whole relaxing thing, and I think I needed it. I'm rocking some awesome black circles under my eyes right now. That's not a good look on anybody! Ha!

As much as Charley has been difficult today, because she doesn't feel well, she totally made my heart melt. She woke up briefly, and said, "Mommy, I need you." "What do you need, honey? Are you hungry? Do you want some water?" I asked. "I need my mom," she replied. She's such a little smuggler, she just wanted to cuddle, and I never turn down the chance to snuggle! It was so sweet. She's still warm tonight, so I decided to find a sub for gymnastics tomorrow. I hate when people knowingly bring sick kids to the gym, and I'm not going to be one of those parents! I am hoping to go out with one of my girlfriends tomorrow night, though, so I'm hoping Charley feels better so I don't have any guilt about taking a few hours to myself!

In totally unrelated news, I've started getting a LOT of orders in for the bus. Not the mats (of course), but other equipment, like a climbing rope, holds for the rock climbing wall, little hand and footprints, business cards, etc. I've also started planning an event for National Gymnastics Day, so this whole business thing is starting to become real! More news on that in the upcoming week. The bus should be finished next week!

First Phone Call!

I know the last couple of posts have been focused on work, so I will try to keep that to a minimum today. Things are moving along well, and I got my first phone call on my work phone yesterday! I was so excited and a little bit nervous. I cleared my throat, and in my best, 'peppy gymnastics coach voice,' I said, "Hello, this is Lindsey at GO! Gymnastics. How may I help you?" I waited anxiously. "Rita McCann?" said the voice on the other end. Ugh. Wrong number. What a let-down! It was almost as big of a let-down as the voicemail I received on the business line. Again, I saw that there was a message, and immediately got excited. I called in to listen to the message, and got to listen to a woman named Debra asking for information on how to get a new trash can. I've called wrong numbers before, but if the greeting on the voicemail sounds as though it has nothing to do with what I need, I hang up. I don't leave a message! Oh well, two let-downs, but at least they provided some entertainment.

I was talking to my friend Kellie the other day about what I've been up to, and how I've been worn out from working so hard and so much. I honestly need to learn how to delegate. I'm sure Kellie and Janine are laughing to themselves as they read that statement, because as much as I HATE when people micromanage, I definitely have a way I want things done. Getting my business organized is no exception. I WANT to delegate. But I have a hard time doing it. It's like in high school when I was assigned group work, and always ended up doing the work myself, because I wanted it done my way. That doesn't mean my other group members wouldn't have done a great job. It just wasn't my vision. I'm REALLY trying to let go, especially because I do trust the quality of work that my partner in crime produces. She really is good at getting things done, and done well. Definitely something I need to work on...

Okay, moving on. Charley has been hanging in there as I've been going from one point to the other, but today, she finally lost it. We didn't even do much, but she was totally crabby. I'm sure parents will be able to relate to the fact that it's SO hard to get things done with toddlers around. My house is disorganized, I'm trying to get things accomplished, and sometimes it's impossible, because she's always pulling things out of drawers, and asking for my attention. Of course she wants attention! She's two! I've been looking into childcare options, for both of our benefits! Anyway, we went to Target, and it started out great. I had her totally distracted by the Disney Princess Band-Aids. But at some point, she decided she wanted to get out of the cart, and she was going to make the entire store aware of that. Ugh. It was especially fun when she dropped to the ground outside of my car, in the parking lot, screaming and crying. Awesome parenting moment. I had to document it. See the picture below!

After the meltdown subsided, Charley was actually fairly pleasant for the rest of the evening. She cracked me up when she pretended she was ordering from the drive through. She looked at me, and asked, "Do you want a cake pop?" "Sure!" I replied. She turned her head away, and said, "I'll have a cake pop, and two Equal packets." Ha! Two Equal packets? Someone's been listening to my order at Starbucks. She just forgot the iced coffee with soy part of the order. I was pretty impressed, though!

Last week I made a comment about wearing 'meeting clothes,' and spending too much time in my gym clothes. I do wear gym clothes a lot, but in my defense, I spend a lot of time in the gym! Whether it's at work, or at the Y, those are generally the only places I need to dress for, so hey, gym clothes work! Anyway, I went to a business meeting the other day with someone who had a bunch of contacts for me, as I go forward with the gym bus. I wore a skirt, which actually is not that unusual for me, but I suppose I haven't worn many skirts lately. Anyway, when I dropped Charley off at my mom's house, I'm fairly certain everybody thought I was going on a date, not a business meeting, because I'd straightened my hair, and put on a skirt. In any business, the way you look and the way you present yourself makes a difference, so I always make a point to look my best when I go into meetings! I got a lot of questions though, so I imagine they thought I was lying. I honestly had a meeting! I have a list of contacts to prove it!

In other news, we had a storm here in Minneapolis a couple of days ago, and my mom reminded me to plug my computer into the surge protector. So I did. My TV, too. But when I woke up yesterday, I turned on the TV to find that the screen wouldn't work, but the volume would. Awesome. Just what I need. A broken TV. It's as though I actually have extra money to spend, even though I'm starting my own business. Ummm....not so much! Charley wasn't happy that she didn't get to watch Sesame Street, and her morning routine was disrupted. I was able to distract her with the iPad, though. Phew! When I got home from work, I thought I would give the TV another shot. Much to my surprise, it worked! I was relieved. But I also felt like Joey and Chandler in the Friends episode where they got free porn. I'm afraid that if I turn it off, it won't turn back on! I'm a little bit skeptical, but I WILL turn it off tonight. Fingers crossed!

Alright, that's all for now. More soon!

Summer? Where did you go?!

Eyes closed....Of course!

It's August. AUGUST! That means, I need to be ready to start business in a month and I'm getting really anxious about it. I love the fact that I've got a bus, now. That is certainly a plus! It's currently in the process of being retrofitted, which basically involves having the seats ripped out, flooring put down,  having hooks hung up for rings and a rope, an having it painted. It sounds daunting, but I was reassured  that it won't take more than 2 weeks. Phew! This is all starting to come together! Except for the fact that the mats are still being custom made, and the flooring isn't here yet... Oh well, I suppose it's impossible to get things going without any glitches. With that said, in less than a month, I will not only be teaching gymnastics classes full-time again but I'll also be DRIVING A BUS! Stay tuned for updates on those driving lessons. I'm sure I'll be a sight for sore eyes. Ha!

So, business has pretty much taken over my life for the last several weeks. Between coaching at the gym, teaching private lessons, purchasing a bus, buying supplies, pricing out t-shirts, contacting preschools, etc. I haven't exactly had any "me" time. I can't even remember the last time I had someone watch Charley in the evening so I could go out. I need to get out, soon! I'm hoping for a girls' night out at some point in the next couple weeks. I need a chance to go out and let loose a little bit! I'm a little bit high strung under normal circumstances, but right now, I'm totally wound up and completely wrapped up in business and Charley. I know I'll get my butt out of the house, it just might be a couple of more weeks.

"Sure, I'll load your Spiderman web shooter..."

Last weekend was packed full of activity, but it was really a lot of fun. I worked all day Friday, and then I took Charley to her friend Sawyer's birthday party. The party was at Long Lake Park Beach, and it was great! We were late (of course), because I had been at work, and had to stop home to let Oscar out before heading to the party. It was supposed to be a 5-10 minute stop, but it quickly turned into 45 minutes. I'll spare you the details, but let's just say that Oscar made a mess on himself (outside, thank goodness) that was so severe, I had to bust out the scissors and give him a bath. Not cool. Anyway, we pulled up to the party, and Charley yelled Sawyer's name until she spotted him, and they ran toward each other. They really are cute. They played for several hours, alongside the "big kids" and Charley fell asleep on the ride home. Score for me!

"Should we cross the bridge or just stare at it?"

Saturday and Sunday, Charley got to play with her friend Aurora. On Saturday, Charley went for a play date, right after gymnastics. It was so different, because she usually puts up a fight when she leaves the gym, knowing I'm not going with her. But when she left with Aurora, she clearly couldn't have cared less that I was staying at the gym. By the time I picked her up, all of the kids were pretty wiped out, so Charley and I went home, ran some errands, and had an early night. Sunday, we got together with Aurora and her parents, again. We walked to the park, which was probably a little bit over a mile each way. Both girls walked most of the way there, played like crazy once we got there, and crashed on the way home. It was fantastic! We ate dinner with Aurora's family, and it was awesome. Aurora's dad, Rich, made mustard and pretzel-crusted salmon, summer squash, roasted potatoes, and salad. For a woman who eats cereal for dinner most of the time, it was like a feast! More than anything, it was good company, and an overall fantastic day. Oh, and now Charley insists I tell her "Charley and Aurora Stories," before bed every night. She's heard the same story about 6 times, now, but it doesn't seem to bother her.

Now that the weekend is over, it's been go, go, go with one meeting after the other, and Charley has been a trooper. She's getting dragged from one location to the next, and all things considered, she has been behaving quite well. She's done a great job of entertaining people, as well. I included a few Charley statements below. She definitely has a lot of her mom in her...

Charley-isms

*When told she would get to see her friend Ryan, she smacked her forehead, shook her head, and said, "Ryan is SO difficult." (*There is a Curious George character named Ryan, which is where she got that line. She delivered it perfectly, though.)

*While speaking on her toy phone, she said, "Hello? Daisy? WHAT? You've GOT to be kidding me!" She then proceeded to "hang up."

*I was getting my hair cut last week, and just like any other good mom, I was bribing my child with M and Ms to keep her subdued. About every 5 minutes, she peeked around the chair, and asked, "Mom, can I have a couple more, please?" Boy, does she know how to get what she wants! The stylist ate it up.

A girl, a bus, and a maraca. What a combination.

Side note: I've been doing a lot of paperwork and emailing at night, while listening to the TV in the background. Tonight, as I worked, Abby Lee Miller and a 109 year old woman got fitted for bras on a show I didn't even know existed. I'm a little bit scarred. It might be time to turn the channel from Lifetime and Bravo, to something more intellectually challenging than The Real Housewives. Meh, we'll see.

That's all for now, folks. Keep checking the GO! Gymnastics FB page for updates. We will add a link to the company website when it's finished. Thanks for all the support, too, I clearly have a bunch of wonderful friends behind me on this!