A Chicken with Her Head Cut Off

The last two weeks have been a complete whirlwind. The last time I had to go to school for a week prior to my students' arrival was several years ago, when I was teaching in Las Vegas. At that point in time, I was teaching in a year-round school, so I really only had a couple of weeks off, and I was returning to the same classroom. So all I really had to do was put my new students' names on desks and supplies, and I was pretty much ready to go. This year has been very different! I've moved to a new classroom, and although I'm in the same type of position, my caseload has changed dramatically. That just means that I get to know a bunch of new kids, so I am looking forward to that. But I'm pretty sure I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Seriously.

Monday, the whole staff got together at the school for some training. We had a new teacher join the resource room team on Monday, which was very exciting. It's a huge relief, too, because my co-worker and I just about had heart attacks last week when we looked at how many students we would be working with! Anyway, Monday kicked off a week full of training, setting up my classroom, meeting with co-workers, writing (and re-writing...and re-writing again) schedules, planning for students, open house, and lots of paperwork. I've been so busy, that when I woke up this morning, I honestly couldn't remember what day of the week it was. With that said, it's really been a great week, and I've been to some interesting seminars.

One training stood out from the rest. During training week, teachers generally learn all kinds of things about school performance in previous years, how to motivate students, behavior strategies, and all of the other important teacher-information necessary to get organized for the year and plan for students. Yesterday, though, my co-workers and I went to a totally different type of training. A psychologist for the FBI gave a presentation about active shooters, and what to look for in students that might be at risk of becoming active shooters. The presentation started with a video that was incredibly disturbing. When the video started, I think everyone watching assumed it was live footage from the Columbine High School shootings. It was really upsetting. I literally got sick to my stomach,  watching these kids terrorize a school. It wasn't until after the video was shown, that the presenter informed us that it wasn't live footage...it was a video based on Columbine, and it can be viewed online by anybody, at any time. What does that mean to me? Kids can watch it. Over and over again, if they want to. That's frightening. I found myself asking two questions:
1. What kind of person would make this video?
2. What can be done to stop kids from viewing this type of material.

Unfortunately, we as teachers cannot prevent children from viewing inappropriate, or violent content. That's their parents' job. In any case, it was an eye-opening training, and its content was so unfamiliar to me, that it probably made a greater impact than most trainings I've gone to in my career.

It's been busy...But we made it to the State
Fair!

Anyway, with the week being as crazy as it has, I haven't gotten to spend as much time with Charley as I'd like. I've been working 10-12 hour days, so by the time I get home, all I can bring myself to do is make dinner and flop on the couch. I'm so glad I have Charley to keep me entertained. People ask me about her all the time. "How's Charley?" they ask. "She's a piece of work," is my usual response. She really is. She's such a unique kid. The other day, her teacher, Cindy, came up to me and said, "Charley told me yesterday that we could be friends because our names start with the same letter." Who says that? I mean, what 3 year old says that? She's pretty awesome.

On another Charley-related note, she's become quite the little entertainer. I took these two videos within the last week. Like I said...she's a piece of work.

Alright, it's time for me to get to bed. I've got a big week ahead! With all of my last minute work tomorrow, students starting on Tuesday, and my birthday on Wednesday (31...I can't believe I'm going to be 31)...it's going to be a little crazy! I'm thinking life will return to (somewhat) normal in a week or two. Have a great Labor Day weekend!

New School Excitement, and Unexpected Realizations

I'm going to be honest. I've gotten a little bit spoiled this summer. I mean, don't get me wrong, Charley has had me up by 6:30 every morning, but we didn't have to BE anywhere until much later. That, of course, meant that we have become accustomed to lazy, slow moving mornings. Well, not anymore! I'm back at work, she's back at school, and life has returned to its normal wild and crazy state. And I like it!

Charley has been doing very well at her new school. I was a little bit nervous, because she's been out of school all summer, but it's only been a couple of days and she seems to be adjusting just fine. That's a huge relief for me! I started back at the school yesterday for new teacher training (I was hired late, so I missed the workshop last year), and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It was actually a great training. All of the new teachers had a chance to really get to know one another. There are four new teachers (other than me) and they're all great. We did some unique getting-to-know you tasks, such as speaking to a partner, uninterrupted, for 3 minutes. It was actually hard! I talk a lot, but I'm used to having someone else participating in the conversation. I'm not a big fan of monologues! Anyway, it was fun, and definitely built camaraderie amongst the group. I was pretty worn out by the end of the day, and was happy to get into bed fairly early last night!

This morning, I was a little bit groggy, getting out of bed. Once I got up and moving, though, I found I was able to take my time getting ready, which was kind of nice. I left my house at 7:20, dropped Charley off at school, and was still at school by 7:40. That's a VERY different commute than the one I made last year! I think I'm going to like living closer to work... Anyway, we had a morning full of meetings, and then a luncheon sponsored by local businesses. We walked around, spoke to the local business owners, and got to know some members of the community. One of the businesses present was a local gymnastics facility. Of course, I couldn't just keep my mouth shut and move along like everybody else. I had to mention that I coach gymnastics! Which, in turn, lead to quite a discussion...

The gymnastics world is small. Very small. Everybody who has worked in the competitive gymnastics industry seems to know each other, or at the very least, two coaches will usually find that they share a mutual connection. Well, in speaking with this man, I learned that he knew many of the coaches that I'd trained with, and I'd likely trained with HIM at a gymnastics camp during the summer. When he asked where I'd competed, I explained that I'd been at a couple of gyms, because I followed a particular coach, Fred. Not surprisingly, this man knew Fred, and had coached with him many years ago. "Fred passed away a few years ago," he said. I tried to handle that statement casually, because I'd suspected that Fred wasn't alive anymore, but I found that as the day went on, it really got to me. Now, Fred was not the kind of coach that everybody loved. He was a tall, skinny, African-American man, who was loud, opinionated, and strict. But I adored him. As a child, I spent more time in the gym, with him, than I did at home. He became like an uncle to me, as well as the other girls on my team. Anyway, Fred was my coach for 12 years, and I attribute so many of the positive qualities I developed early on, to him. He taught me discipline, persistence, and he showed me that you don't have to be the most talented gymnast to be the most successful...You just have to work your butt off EVERY time you're in the gym. I was a good gymnast, but never the best competitor. I tended to crack under pressure. But Fred still kept me around, because he saw the potential in me, and I appreciate him for that. He'd just laugh when I fell off the beam 5 times as a 7 year old, and say, "It's okay, she'll do well on floor." He was right. I was always good on floor, mostly because I was well-trained. The news that he is no longer alive was not a huge surprise to me. I'd kind of suspected it. I mean, given the small size of the industry, and that fact that I've coached for over a decade, I should've come across him at some point. I always hoped that I would run into him at a meet, and be able to say, "I choreographed that floor routine!" and show him what I'd learned from him. I hoped I'd have a chance to thank him for impacting my life, the way he did. Unfortunately, I won't have that opportunity, but I'm confident he knew how greatly he impacted his gymnasts' lives.

Phew, so that was kind of heavy, but I felt the need to pay tribute a little bit. After the luncheon, I got to go back to the school and get some work done. I got to the school at 1:15. I had a lot of moving to do, because my classroom got switched, so I'm pretty sure I went back and forth between rooms at least 50 times. "Oh well, I don't need to go to the gym today," I thought to myself. By the time I felt like I'd done all I could do in a day, I glanced up at the clock and it was nearly 5:00! I decided I was done for the day, and went to pick up Charley. Again, Charley had a great day, and she was asked to be the Star Student of the Month for September in her new classroom! She had to answer several questions, including, the ever-exciting, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" What was Charley's answer? "A rhinoceros." I turned the TV off (she'd been watching a show about animals) and asked the question again. "A cookie-maker," she stated. A cookie-maker is better than a rhinoceros, so I went with it. Now, we're relaxing, and based on how exhausted I am at the moment, I'm thinking we'll be in bed by 9. Have a great week!

Back to School, Back to Work!

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am SO excited to go back to work this week. I won't lie...I'll miss the days of sleeping in (who am I kidding, I never sleep in...) and lounging by the pool while Charley plays with her friends. But I am excited to get back into a routine! Charley needs the routine, too. I'm at my best when I'm busy, so I'm looking forward to getting moving again. And if I'm totally honest...this was one hell of a summer! It definitely had its highs and lows, and while I would say the positives absolutely outweighed the negatives, I'm kind of glad that it's over and my life can return to normal.

Charley starts school on Monday. I absolutely loved the preschool she was at toward the end of the year last year, but honestly, it was the Mercedes-Benz of daycares, and wasn't really in my budget. So, I found her a great little preschool close to our house. It's literally 2 miles away, the teachers are great, it's more affordable, and...here's the exciting part...I can go to the GYM before picking her up every day! I know that probably seems like a silly thing to be worked up about, but I really am. I like going to the gym, but haven't really been able to do it with a clear conscience for the last few months. I guess I just couldn't justify sending Charley to school all day, and then taking her to a different childcare at the gym. Now, the problem seems to be solved, and I'm so excited!

With school starting soon, I asked my mom to take Charley tonight, so I find myself with a night off. My dad took Oscar for the night, so I'm really only responsible for ME! And what did I do with my free time? Well, I did actually have some fun. I went shopping with a friend of mine, and although I intended to get clothes for school, I ended up with a couple of cute dresses and absolutely nothing that I'd intended on purchasing. Whoops! When I got home, though, I got to work cleaning. I steam-cleaned the carpets, which I seem to be doing compulsively lately (mostly because Oscar keeps feeling the need to mark his territory). It's actually gotten to be so bad, that when Charley and I were at the open house at her new school, she picked up the toy vacuum and announced, "I'm steam cleaning the carpets." I'm so glad she let her new teachers in on my obsessive carpet cleaning. That's definitely the first impression I wanted to leave. Ha! Anyway, it's my night off, and I'm cleaning the house. I'm not going to lie, the peace and quiet is kind of nice!

This post is kind of scattered. Sorry about that...I just have a bunch of little blurbs I wanted to include, and they seem to be coming to me in no particular order. Yesterday,  I texted one of my closest friends, while I was at the park. She's a full-time single mom, too, so we have a lot in common. We've spent many hours talking about how our lives are different from most parents...even single parents...because we have our kids full-time. Which means our lives are totally kid-centered. It's interesting... I really don't know many full-time single moms. I actually know more full-time single dads, which is kind of odd. Anyway, I mentioned how I was at the park with Charley, and all of the other adults there were men. Dads, playing with their kids. Totally engaged, following their kids around, playing ball, sliding down the slides, pushing their kids on the swings. They were good dads. They weren't putting on a show. They were simply having fun with their kids. They were playing with my kid, too! Charley's a total social butterfly, and is generally drawn to men about my age. To me, it was beautiful. When I told her about it, she agreed. It was beautiful.

The same friend texted me today,  and told me about an ex-boyfriend of hers, who keeps texting her about the bonding he's doing with his kids. It seems that every time he's with his kids, he feels the need to let her know about it. Naturally, it annoys her. It's one of the reasons things didn't work out between them. Although he always said that family came first to him, his actions spoke differently, and when he WAS spending time with his kids, he always seemed to need a pat on the back. My response via text was something along the lines of, "If a man constantly feels the need to tell you what a great dad he is, he's probably not that great." All of this talk brought me back to the days when I first re-entered the dating world. I was talking to a guy, and he made mention of how he was going to lunch at his daughter's school the next day. "That's so great!" I responded. "Why?" he asked. "Well...it's just a really nice thing for you to do," I replied. His response to me was perfect. "I'm her dad," he said. That was it. Simple, and to the point. He was doing what a dad who had the day off SHOULD do, and didn't expect any recognition for it. That statement showed me quite a lot about him, and his values. Fast forward about a year, and I was dating a different guy for a short time. We had a conversation that started out almost exactly the same way. "I'm bringing lunch to my daughter's school tomorrow," he said. "That's really great," I said. This is where it went south...Over the next three days, I received at least 6 messages about how he'd gone to lunch with his daughter. It was like he found something he knew I liked, and had to keep reminding me what a great dad he was. The thing is, the more he did that, the more I began to question his motivation. Was he going to lunch to spend time with his daughter? Or to be able to tell the world that he brought his daughter lunch? Now, I'm hoping that he really was going for his daughter's benefit, but the fact that he had to keep reiterating what a great dad he was...well... that was really irritating. I'm a big believer in the idea that actions speak louder than words. Show me you're a good parent, don't tell me about it. Show me you're a good person. The dads I saw at the park? They were SHOWING that they were good parents, making the most of their time with their children. Again, beautiful.

So, there really was no specific theme to this post. The product of a long summer, I suppose. On that note, have a great week!

It's AUGUST Already?!

It's been so long since I've blogged, I don't even know where to start! Well, first of all, I guess I could start with the fact that it's AUGUST! Where did the summer go? I'll be 31, and teaching for my second year in Forest Lake...in LESS THAN A MONTH! Seriously...Time needs to slow down. Anyway, I've had a lot going on lately, so I'll try to be concise. No promises of that, however. Ha!

I suppose I should start off this blog with a little update about my car situation. As I posted on FB a couple of weeks ago, the driver who hit my car did not have insurance. Fortunately for me, her son, who owned the car, did. Phew. It was a huge relief. However, a few days after getting the news that he had insurance, I also learned that my car was totaled. That simply meant, that I was left with no money (all of the money from the insurance company went to pay off the lease), and no car. Awesome. So the next day, I decided to go into work, to earn a little bit of extra cash. They say bad luck comes in threes, right? I figured mine had been taken care of with the whole car incident. Ha! No such luck. As I was getting the car loaded up to head to work, I turned around, and saw Oscar standing in the driveway. "Where did he come from?!" I thought to myself. It turns out Charley had opened the front door, while I was loading up the car. Nice. Oscar was just standing there, and I called to him, but of course he didn't come to me on command. So, I walked toward him, and he decided to take off running. I also took off running. And after about 3 steps, I tripped over my flip flop and totally wiped out on my driveway. It's almost unfortunate my neighbors weren't out, because I certainly would've given them a laugh to start off the day. It was pretty comical to watch, I'm sure...unfortunately, however, in my tripping incident, I also managed to take a large chunk of skin off of my toe. So there I was, bleeding everywhere, limp-running in my flip-flops (damn flip-flops), chasing after my geriatric dog who'd successfully outrun me. It's a good thing he stopped to pee, because it gave me a chance to grab his collar. "I'm going to kill you," I mumbled under my breath. Of course, Charley heard that empty threat, and wailed, "Don't kill my BROTHER!!!" Which lead to an explanation on my part that I was not actually going to kill Oscar, I was just mad at him. When Charley retold the story at the gym, she made sure to say, "My brother ran away this morning!" Of course that got everybody's ears perked up until I explained that Oscar was, in fact, my dog, NOT Charley's brother. Ha! So, I think I finally had my 3rd bad thing, and I'm due for some good karma right about how.

When I learned that my car was totaled,  I filled my calendar with private lessons, in an attempt to come up with a down payment, and set off in search of my new car. Car shopping with a toddler is an experience. Not a good one. But an experience, for sure! Charley was pretty well-behaved (until our last stop at the Mazda dealership...she was NOT amused to be there). The most difficult and frustrating part of the day was trying to test drive cars. I was moving her carseat from one car to the next, at 4 different dealerships. Needless to say, it was a long day. After coming to the conclusion that the most affordable car for me would be a new Mazda 3, and resigning myself to the fact that I wouldn't be able to get a small SUV, I got a text from my mom. It said, "How about this. I'll go get a new car, and you can buy my car." Ummm....okay! It basically meant that I wouldn't be responsible for a down payment, and honestly...it made my life a lot easier. So after a very long day, things turned out for the best, and the car situation was remedied fairly quickly.

Once my car dilemma was taken care of, I was able to focus a little bit more on work. My original plan for the summer was to work two days at the gym, and spend the rest of my time getting acclimated to my new community. Well...things haven't exactly worked that way. Last week, for example, I was in St. Louis Park five out of seven days. When I got home from work last night, I was just exhausted. The thing is, I absolutely adore my coaching job, and I'm happy to do it, in spite of the long drive. Anyway, this week I'm determined to stick to two days in St. Louis Park.

In terms of getting acclimated to my new home, I think I've been doing a pretty good job. Charley and I have made some friends in our neighborhood, and started to explore surrounding communities, in search of things to do. We found a free nature center a few miles away, which is great. Charley loves it, it's outdoors, so she gets a little bit of nature exposure, and it's a nice place to go to socialize with other parents of young kids. It's great. We've been spending time at the pool and park, which is really convenient. In fact, we had friends up to the pool on Friday and Saturday! There's nothing better than having friends with children Charley's age, who can join us at the pool. The parents can sit in chairs, get some sun, and chat, while the kids entertain each other for hours. I really don't know how that scenario could get any better! Another perk to all of the outdoor time, is that Charley generally sleeps like a rock at night.

Speaking of sleep, it seems that Charley has become a really solid sleeper. There was a time when I first moved back to MN, when I could count on her waking up multiple times in the night, and generally sleeping in my bed before morning rolled around. Now that we're in our new house and settled in, that really hasn't been an issue. Except, of course, when I WANT her to be asleep. Last Saturday was a long day. We were busy from beginning to end (surprise, surprise), and when she went to bed at 7, I was certain I'd have a whole night to just relax on the couch, without the company of my toddler. Ha! Who was I kidding? Around 10:00, she woke up from a bad dream, and it took her forever to get back to sleep. It's like she knew I wanted her to be asleep...and she was refusing to sleep just to spite me! Typical. She's such a piece of work...good thing she's cute!

Speaking of this week, my Aunt Naomi is coming in town tomorrow. She is just the most wonderful person. She's coming in town simply to give me a break. She knows that I work hard, and I've always got Charley around, so she just wanted to take care of some of the Charley load for a few days. It's so appreciated, and Charley is really looking forward to her visit. It gives me a free couple of evenings, too! Anybody up for dinner or drinks Wednesday or Friday? Let me know!

On that note, I should get back to my day. I'm trying to take advantage of the last few weeks of summer. Have a great week!

What Are Appropriate Consequences?

So, I got into a car accident today. I want to preface this by saying that I'm fine, Charley wasn't with me when the accident happened, so there's no need for concern. I really contemplated whether or not I wanted to blog about this, because I really don't want to come off as complaining. But I decided to write about it, because this particular accident brings up some issues that I never really thought I would have to deal with, in terms of the laws and insurance related issues that come along with driving. Buckle up for this one!

Let me set the stage a little bit. I was stopped in the left turn lane at a stoplight, when a vehicle slammed into the back right side of my car at around 35 mph, and continued driving until she had effectively taken out my back wheel, the passenger side of my car, and my mirror. She slowed down. Stopped. And then drove off. Fortunately for me, there were dozens of other cars in the intersection, and I noticed some following her. She must have recognized this, because she finally stopped, turned around, and came back to the scene. As I made my first 911 call EVER, I was surprised to hear from the dispatcher that the incident had already been called in. That means one of the witnesses must've called, too, and I am very grateful for that. Minnesota drivers looking out for each other... I like that.

Anyway, the woman did turn around, get out of her car, and apologize. I didn't have anything nice to say, so I decided it was better for me not to say anything. That is, until the cops showed up. Did I yell and scream about being side swiped while I was STOPPED? Ha! No. That's not me. I'm not a yeller and a screamer. Instead, I burst into tears. Not because I was hurt. Just because I was shaken up, and he was so nice to me. I probably sounded like a blubbering idiot, but I had absolutely no control over it. I am ALWAYS in control of my emotions, and I really didn't enjoy crying uncontrollably. However, once I'd given him all of my information, I had time to calm down, text my family and friends, and let them know what had happened.

This is where it gets complicated. I saw the officer going back and forth between the other driver's vehicle, and his car. Several other officers showed up. Crap, I thought. I bet she's not insured. Well, according to the woman, the car belonged to her son, and he had the insurance information. I heard one of the officers asking her about the car's registration. It seems that the car she was driving had expired tabs from a different state, and it was, in fact registered to her son. The officer gathered the rest of her contact information, let her go (her car was drivable), and sat with me to wait for the tow truck to show up. "You, know," he said, "To be honest with you, I think the idea that she has insurance is pretty slim." Of course that had crossed my mind. Why else would her initial reaction have been to drive off? Ugh. Then the officer said, "People say things happen for a reason. But I can't really see a reason for this, on your part. I mean...It's a beautiful day, the road isn't slippery, there's no traffic... There's really absolutely no reason this should've happened, except that another person totally wasn't paying attention!" I appreciated him trying to make me feel better. "Maybe she needed a wake-up call of some sort, and I just happened to be the victim of that wake-up call," I replied.

As the day went on, I ran into a couple of other issues. The All Star Baseball games have been going on all week, and there are NO rental cars available in the Twin Cities or surrounding areas. Literally...none. So, I'm stranded at home until sometime tomorrow when I get a call from Enterprise saying they have a car available, and I can sucker someone into coming to pick Charley and me up so we can go get the car. Ha! I guess that means if you want to see me, you'll have to come visit! The other problem was that I got pretty sore, and decided to go to urgent care to get checked out. They admitted me into the ER, ran a whole plethora of tests, had an IV (the nurse told me the doctor ordered it, because I looked like I needed it....was that his way of telling the nurse I looked like crap?) found some internal bruising, but as I suspected... I'm totally fine. A little sore. But fine. Thank goodness for that. The ER visit was more of an annoyance than anything else, but I'm glad I went.

Ok, so the situation is complicated. But now, I find myself wondering...What if she really isn't insured? What does that mean for me? Well, that really depends on the damage to my vehicle. It was fairly substantial, but I don't really know anything about car parts and labor costs, so I don't know if it's totaled or just damaged. If it IS totaled, then I could be in quite a predicament. First of all, the claim would go against me, because my insurance would have to pay for it, and my rate could increase. Second of all, I drive a leased car. This means that the insurance company would pay the leasing agency, and (God forbid) if the value of the car is less than what is owed on it, I could end up financially responsible for the remainder of the lease. This basically means, I would have no money coming from the insurance company for a replacement. And no car. What would I do? It's the kind of situation that had never crossed my mind before today. It seems totally unfair. I mean...I was stopped. I didn't do anything wrong. Somebody else did. Doesn't that seem like a flaw in the system? I don't know, it just doesn't seem right.

Meanwhile, what would the consequences be for the other driver? Well, if she doesn't have insurance, she could lose her license. I could sue her for the money to pay for the deductible. But if she has no money, that won't do any good. Plus, I just can't picture myself taking part in a lawsuit. It's very unlike me. So what is the next step for her? Will there be other repercussions? Or does the fact that she's uninsured get her into trouble with the law, but get her off the hook financially? I'm not sure I understand that. If anybody knows, please, enlighten me!

Now, in the BEST case scenario (and what I'm hoping for), the woman comes forward with her insurance, and her insurance company takes care of everything. My car turns out to be damaged, but not beyond repair, and I get it back in a couple of weeks. This is what I'm hoping for.

At the end of the day, I'm grateful for one thing. I am so thankful that Charley was not in the car. I had to go the ER to get checked out, and if she had experienced that impact, she could've been seriously hurt. Someone was looking down on me, in that aspect.

This week can only improve from here, and I know it will. Goodnight!

Dear Charley...

This week, I've been overwhelmed by the number of things Charley says and does on a daily basis that are hilarious. Generally, she's not trying to be funny…but seeing as she is 3 years old, she doesn't understand the irony of her actions, and the things that she says. So, today, I thought I'd write a series of little letters to Charley. Enjoy!

Dear Charley,

I know you like Saved by the Bell. But the fact that you scratched a disk and it won't play is not an emergency. When you scream, "Mom! It's an emergency!" down the stairs from now on, I will not believe that it is, in fact, an emergency.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

I appreciate that you've been sleeping in your room every night. I also appreciate that you are willing to watch TV in the morning, so I can sleep a little bit longer. However, if you recall, I taught you how to use the DVD player. I did that for a reason. So that you could put in a DVD, by yourself, and allow me to sleep an extra 20-30 minutes. Shaking me awake, and asking me to put in a DVD is not the same thing. Let's keep working on this one.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

I think it is very polite that you have picked up the term, "Yes, ma'am." However, it is not a term I need to use with you in every conversation. For example, if you ask me for a popsicle, "Sure," is an acceptable answer. You do not need to correct me and say, "No, Mommy, you should say, yes ma'am."

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

When we are at the store, I understand that you get frustrated with me. I tell you, "No," quite frequently. Although you asked me nicely the other day to, "Please stop saying 'no,' Mommy," my answer will not change. In fact, I would say the word 'no' a lot less frequently, if you didn't find it necessary to pick every 4th item off the shelf and ask if you can have it.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

When you see a creepy looking guy walking down the sidewalk, please wait until he's out of earshot before saying, "Mom, that guy is a creeper!"

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

When I tell you I am not going to argue with you, it does not mean you have won the argument. In fact, it means exactly the opposite. I have won the argument, and we are going to do what I have told you we are going to do. On a similar note, you are not allowed to tell me, "I'm not going to argue with you!" It doesn't work that way. I'm the mom.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

Just because Nana calls people 'dumbheads' when she is driving, does not mean you can use that term. I am not a dumbhead. You may only use that term in Nana's car.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

I love you. I do not love Barbie's Dream House. Please find a new show to watch, because I think Barbie and Ken are making me lose my mind. Literally.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

When you spill something on the floor, break a picture frame, or have an accident, you are not the one who should be saying, "It's okay. Accidents happen." That is my job. And sometimes, I might not be very happy about what happened, especially if I asked you NOT to do it in the first place. However, accidents DO happen. And I still love you.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

I don't speak whine. I say that to my students, and I say it to you almost daily. That means you need to stop whining. Whining louder and shouting at me, "I'm CRYING!" while no tears fall from your eyes has no impact on me. You are stubborn, but I've been practicing the stubborn thing for years. I will wait you out. I don't know if you noticed, but when I ignore your whining, you DO eventually stop, and turn back into my adorable, hilarious, sassy little girl. I will keep practicing this method until you graduate high school.

Love,
Mom

Dear Charley,

Thank you for being concerned about doing the dishes. You are a little bit too young to do this chore. However, I will continue to let you 'help' me with the dishes, despite the fact that it takes 4 times as long when I have your assistance, in hopes that I won't have to fight you to do the dishes when you're 10. I'm not banking on that, but a mom can dream, right?

Love,
Mom

Making a New Home

Well, it's been a week, and I think we're settling into our new home quite well. We've been going to the pool and park just about every day, and making friends in the neighborhood. It's a bit of an adjustment, considering we're used to having a Target and other amenities right around the corner, and now we have to drive 10 minutes to get our every day essentials. But maybe that isn't a bad thing…it'll certainly keep me from spending money unnecessarily! And maybe it'll encourage me to start making lists, so I don't forget anything that I need…. Ha! I doubt that'll happen, but it's something to strive for. Anyway, while getting settled I had some time off from work, and I'm a little anxious to get back. I'm a busy-body, and I get bored easily. With that said, having a full week off is more than I'm used to, and this busy-body is ready to be busy again!

I thought I'd start off this week by talking about my new neighbors. I was sad to leave my neighborhood in NE Minneapolis, because I had some awesome neighbors. There were older women living on either side of my, who were a little bit eccentric, incredibly nice, and they adored Charley. One of Charley's best friends also lived on our block, and I'd become friends with his parents over the last two years. So, I was hoping that I'd meet some nice people in my new neighborhood. As it turns out, I think I've hit the neighborhood jackpot for a parent of a toddler! On our second day here, our water heater went out. We were outside waiting for the plumber to come fix it, and we got to meet our next door neighbors. They're a young couple, with an adorable little boy, and they were very friendly. I told them that the water heater had gone out, and the guy immediately asked, "You're not paying anyone to fix it are you? I'll come fix it for you right now, if you want." It was very nice! Now, my landlord had called the plumber and was responsible for the cost, so I just let the plumber handle it, but it's nice to have a next door neighbor who's fairly handy! We chatted for awhile, while the kids played, and I felt really good about having them next door.

The first time we ventured to the pool, Charley made instant friends with the other kids playing in the kiddie pool, and I just sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the afternoon. That's one thing I love about Charley, by the way… She makes friends wherever she goes! On our second trip to the pool, Charley started playing with a little boy, and I started talking with his mom. We talked for about an hour, about a variety of things, and before we left, we exchanged phone numbers, and Charley and I had received an invitation to dinner! There's something to be said for living in a small town…the people certainly are friendly!

Charley and the gang. 

The 4th of July was the first holiday we celebrated here in Hugo, and it came along fairly quickly after we'd moved in. I decided on Thursday evening that we would go to the parade in Forest Lake, because Charley hasn't really been to a parade before. Let's just say, it'll be awhile before we go to another parade. The parade itself was fantastic! There were lots of participants, and things to see (including my friend and her two kids on a fire truck). But Charley wasn't in the mood, and wanted to go home, before the parade even started! She was into it for about 10 minutes after she saw her friends on the fire truck, but then said, "I want to go home." She stuck it out for a few more minutes, and then we walked alongside the parade (totally embarrassing, by the way) to where our car was parked, several blocks away.  Of course on the way back to the car, I ran into several of my students, and stopped to talk with them for a few minutes. By the time we got loaded in the car, Charley was wiped out, and fell asleep almost immediately. We drove home, and made sure the house was clean, because we were having a bit of an impromptu gathering, with a couple of friends and their kids. It was great! Not terribly organized, because it was so last minute…but great! First, one of my friends showed up with her two kids, and we went to the pool right away. The kids played at the park and pool for close to 2 hours, before we headed back to my house for drinks and snacks. When we got home, another friend showed up with his two kids (Charley's best friends from gymnastics), and joined the fun. The kids ate, played, and ate some more, before we decided to walk back to the park. They looked like a little gang, all walking together. The kids played for awhile, then some of us went to the pool, while others went home. All-in-all, it was a great day. It was long, and busy…but that's how I prefer things, I think. Besides that, Charley went to bed early and slept like a rock!

Charley got busted sneaking S'mores dip.
Brilliant idea, but recipe needs tweaking!

Today, Charley and I have pretty much just been bumming around. She's got a little bit of a cold, mixed with some allergies, so we ran errands this morning, and have been at home ever since. She's perfectly content sitting on the couch watching TV all day (only because she's not feeling well), but of course, I'm bored out of my mind. A girl can only watch so much Phineas and Ferb and Barbie's Dream House before she totally loses it. Anyway, after a long day of sitting on the couch, I'm looking forward to getting back to work this week. Have a great week!

Turning Over a New Leaf

Living Room

So, I've been on hyper-drive for the last couple of weeks, and I'm finally getting a chance to slow down. Finally! And boy, I have to say…I'm in a great place to slow down. All of my things are unpacked, and Charley and I can finally relax on the couch. That's not to say it was easy to get to this point… Yesterday, in particular, was a day for the books. It's a long one, so make sure you've got a drink in hand for this!

Charley's Bedroom

Friday evening, I found myself packing up the last of my things (or what I THOUGHT was the last of my things), and I had a hard time getting to sleep. I knew yesterday would be a long day, but I was so anxious and excited that even though I went to bed around 9, I didn't fall asleep until after 11:30. Anyway, when my alarm went off at 5 a.m. yesterday, I braced myself for the day ahead. I got Charley up, and we went to the store to pick up donuts, drinks, and other snacks for our helpers. I wasn't certain how many people I'd have helping with the move, so I wanted to make sure I was prepared with plenty of sustenance for everybody. Charley was pretty excited, and naturally, it took 3 times as long as it should have for us to get in and out of the store. Once we finally made our exit, we raced home, because one of my friends one of my friends was coming to my house at 6:45 to take me to pick up the U-Haul. She dropped me off, and took Charley back to my house, to wait for the others, while I picked up the truck.

Charley's Play Room

Of course, there were already 6 people in line at U-Haul by 7:15, and only one employee behind the desk. I felt bad for him, because he was doing the best he could. It just seemed to take FOREVER. Anyway, when it was finally my turn, I filled out the paperwork, hopped in the truck, and drove back to my house to start loading. I was already about 30 minutes behind schedule, but I wasn't terribly worried about it. When I got back to my place, none of my helpers had arrived, and I was starting to get nervous. But before I knew it, there were 6 people at my door, ready to help. I felt very blessed. We had the truck loaded in about an hour, and we headed to my new place.

Charley's Bedroom

When we got to the new house, we started unloading pretty quickly. Before I knew it, I looked around and realized that there were more than 15 people bringing furniture, clothes, toys, etc. into the house. I had friends hanging pictures on the wall, building storage units, setting up my internet, and unpacking Charley's room. Charley was running around with 2-6 children at any given time, having the time of her life, and discovering all the "new" toys that had been in boxes for so long. I found myself wondering how I got so lucky. All of these people who have entered my life in the last couple of years (for the most part) were so willing to pitch in and help Charley and I get settled! It was amazing, and they did such a great job. By 1:00, we were done unloading, and I found myself about 80% unpacked! Way further along than I'd expected, that's for sure! One of my co-workers left me with a beautiful plant as a housewarming gift, before she headed out. Keep this in mind, because it'll come back into play later...

Anyway, the U-Haul was due back at the rental location by 2, so one of my friends who was heading that direction offered to drive it back for me. But when he got in and tried to start the engine, the key wouldn't turn in the ignition. Several people tried, before I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to call for roadside assistance. I thanked everybody, sent them on their ways, and waited for the U-Haul to be dealt with. When the guy finally showed up, he looked at the key, looked at the vehicle, and asked me, "Did you pick this up in Brooklyn Park?" I shook my head. "I got it in St. Paul," I told him. "This key doesn't even go to this vehicle," he stated, "Which is why it won't start. I'm not sure how it started before, but I'll cut you a new key, and you can return the truck."  So, shortly later, I loaded up Charley, and headed back to drop of the U-Haul. It was quite an ordeal.

Kitchen

By this time, it was nearly 3:30, and I still had to get my new TV, before heading to my friend's 30th birthday party at 7, in St. Louis Park. It had been raining buckets, but slowed down for awhile, so I thought I'd be fine to get the TV and get to the party with plenty of time to spare.  I'd already showered and done my make-up, so all I really had to do was get dressed, so I stopped home, changed clothes, and headed to Target. When I went into Target, it was dry outside. When I walked out, I found myself in a torrential downpour. Between the store and my car, I got completely soaked. It looked like I'd taken a shower in my clothes. But I still had plenty of time to get myself together, and look presentable at the party. So I raced home, threw my clothes in the dryer, and tried to get myself together. By this time, Charley had completely passed out from the excitement of the day. "My babysitter's going to have a heck of an easy night!" I thought to myself. I texted my friend to make sure it wasn't still pouring in SLP, and waited for my friend to come watch Charley. Well, it wasn't pouring buckets in SLP, but it was between St. Paul and Hugo, and my friend couldn't make it out to babysit. I was disappointed, because the party was for one of my closest friends, and the one who always hosts parties for everybody else. But unfortunately, no sitter…no party. That's the life of a single mom! So, I ended up staying in.

Master Bedroom

This morning, I woke up and instantly realized I'd left that beautiful plant that I'd received as a gift outside during the terrible rain. I opened up the front door, and crossed my fingers that it wouldn't be flooded and drowned. This was mostly a concern, because historically, I have a markedly black thumb. From the time I left a plant in my car (and came back to find my car fogged up, and the plant completely shriveled) to the time I watered my friend's plants while she was gone, but found out she thought I'd forgotten, because they were mostly dead when she got back… I just seem to be bad with plants. To my surprise, the plant looked great. To me, I looked at it as a sign…a sign that I'm turning over a new leaf. New home, new beginnings… leaving the past where it belongs, and moving forward in life. Finally, feeling settled. And I'm so thankful for all of the wonderful people in my life who have helped me get to this point. On that note, have a wonderful week!

Making Connections

So, the last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. Charley and I have been to the zoo twice, the school four or five times, the gym, the park, the splash pad…not to mention COUNTLESS furniture stores… Let's just say we've been pretty busy. I talked to my landlord last week, and he let me know I can move in this Thursday. It's a few days ahead of schedule, but I am SO ready to make the move. I know I've talked about a fresh start before, but it's felt like I've been stuck the last couple of weeks, halfway packed but ready for my new beginning!

With that said, the last couple of weeks might have been busy, but they've been really great, for the most part! There've been a few hiccups, due to my self-proclaimed ditziness, but all-in-all, I've gotten a lot done. I've been spending more time in the gym, and it just reminds me how much I LOVE coaching. The gym is really where I feel most at home. Funny story about the gym, actually… The other day I had just finished up a series of private lessons and was walking toward the door, when I saw a man from a distance who looked very familiar to me. He asked one of my co-workers if Lindsey Kaplan was in. I overheard him say my name, and realized he must've known me a long time ago, because he referred to me using my maiden name. Sure enough, as I walked closer, I realized that it was a guy I graduated from high school with. He wanted to get his daughter back in gymnastics, and knew (via FB) that I work at Kenwood, so he brought her in. I evaluated his daughter's skill level (and she is ADORABLE, I might add), and he signed her up for classes. It was really cool, actually. I haven't seen this man since high school, and even then, I never knew him terribly well.  But it was clear that he's really developed into a great guy, and a wonderful father. How cool is that?  I mean, I know I've changed a lot in the last few years, and I expect that everyone I knew in high school has changed, too. But it's rare that I actually see anybody from high school, outside of my close friends. It was kind of a fun experience for me!

So, I mentioned that Charley and I have been furniture shopping like crazy. Seriously, I think I've tested 20+ couches. I'm so picky… I know exactly what I want, but if I'm being responsible and realistic, what I WANT is probably out of my price range. Anyway, Charley and I have been in and out of furniture stores, and she's been quite a trooper… I mean, for a three-year-old, I'm impressed at how easily she can amuse herself in Ashely Furniture. Yesterday, I finally bit the bullet and made a purchase, because the idea of moving into my new place and being couchless for even one more day makes me shudder. So, I will officially have a couch again on Thursday. Woohoo! It's pretty cute, too. Score for me! Basically, the couch purchase means that the last major thing I have to purchase is a new TV. I'll decorate over time, but once I get the TV, I should have everything I need to make my new house a home.

Today was kind of a special day. It was my mom's retirement party, and we got to see some old friends.  It was great to celebrate my mom, who is one of the hardest working women on the face of the earth. Both of my parents are driven, and hardworking, but I know I get many of my workhorse qualities from my mom. Anyway, I also got a chance to visit with some family friends I've known all my life. Incidentally, they live in Lindstrom and Shafer, MN, both small towns fairly close to my new place. These particular family friends are really more like aunts and uncles to me. We went up to the cabin with them every summer when I was a kid, and I genuinely looked forward to catching up with them, today. It was so funny to sit with these people who knew me when I was Charley's age, drink wine, and get lost in conversation about work, life, friends, dating…it was like I was just chatting with my girlfriends. At one point I mentioned that my aunt is coming in town in August, just to visit, and spend some time with Charley to give me a break, and the stipulations around her visit. My aunt insists that I go out at least two of the nights that she's in town. "I won't have to worry about getting back at a reasonable hour, if she's staying at my house," I said. "If at all…" one of the women said. I cracked up. It was just so fun to have such a relaxed conversation with people who I consider to be extended family! Plus, they were very sweet, offering to babysit Charley anytime, because they'd be nearby. "You need to get out and have fun yourself, Linds," one of them said, "Being a mom 24-7 without a break is enough to drive you crazy!" She's so right. And wonderful. I'm looking forward to re-connecting with them in the next few months.

So, it's been a busy, but exciting few weeks. I have a feeling that this upcoming week will be a whirlwind, and I'm totally okay with that. I can't wait until a week from today, when I'm sitting on my new couch, in my new house, contemplating my new beginning. With that….have a great night!

A Plethora of Flakiness…

Generally, I think most people would say I'm a fairly intelligent and articulate person. When it comes to the things that I know, and things that I do, I tend to make good decisions. I don't jump into things without gathering all of the information, and I think things through before I do them. I'm structured, reasonably organized, and I like to plan things in advance. However, it seems to me, that when I'm overwhelmed with TOO many things, I become a complete flake. Like a SERIOUS flake! It's one of those personality traits that I have grown to recognize in myself, and when I notice signs of flakiness, I realize that I need to SLOW DOWN and get more sleep. This last week has been a doozy…It was the last week of school, Charley's last week of preschool, I'm trying to organize things for the move, and sell my business (yes, I'm sad to say GO! Gymnastics is seeking new ownership…right idea, but came along at the wrong time for me). Anyway, all of these things are very positive, and allowing me to move forward in my life. But they all hit at the same time. Which in turn, left me a little bit (a lot…I should've said a lot) overwhelmed. Anyway, the things that I do when I'm a flake can be relatively humorous. So, I thought I'd make a list of the things I've done in the last week that demonstrate my current lack of brainpower. I legitimately laugh at myself during these times, and I hope I give you a laugh as well. Here we go…

1. I scheduled tests two hours apart in two different locations. I've already beaten this story to death, but it did happen last week…and served as the starting point for the flakiness.

2. I lost my keys. Okay, this is actually a pretty funny story. The other day, one of my friends picked me up for breakfast. I never checked for my keys, because I'm used to driving all the time, so I just assumed I had them. When I got back to my place, I realized that I didn't have my keys. I figured they must've fallen out on my walk to the car, so I checked the yard, sidewalk, etc…No luck. I scrolled through my phone to find the phone number to the restaurant, who, sure enough, didn't have a working number. Typical. So, I borrowed my friend's car and drove to the restaurant to find my keys, which I was CERTAIN must've fallen out of my purse when I took out my wallet to pay. Again, no luck. "Crap!" I thought, "Where could my keys be?" So, I returned to my car, annoyed.  I'd thrown something in my car earlier in the morning, so I figured it was just my luck. Clearly, I must've locked my keys in my car, right? So I called a locksmith, who came and opened my car. And $145 later, revealed that my keys were indeed NOT in my car. Awesome. I'd looked everywhere, and the keys were nowhere to be found. I had one last idea, but I knew the chance of my keys actually turning up was slim to none. I had nothing to lose, though, so I gave it a shot. You see, my friend and I had intended to go to one restaurant, but got to the door and realized the wait would be too long, so we got back in the car and went somewhere else. Well, I called the restaurant and asked if anybody had turned in any keys. "Volkswagen keys?" the hostess asked. "Yes!" I squealed into the phone. "Well a man found them on the ground outside, and brought them in…but he wasn't sure if they belonged to a patron of ours, so he put them back on the ground where he found them, "she stated. My heart sunk. "I'm sending the busboy out to check for them. I'll call you back in 5 minutes," she told me. I kept my fingers crossed. Sure enough, I got a phone call shortly thereafter confirming that they DID indeed have my keys. So, it was back in my friend's car, and back to the FIRST restaurant, and finally, I had my keys back. It's a good thing, too, because I had an awful lot of road tripping over the weekend.

3. I mentioned to one of my friends that I was trying to sell my desk, and I needed to sell my couch. He told me that I should have started that process a long time ago, because those things take awhile to sell on Craigslist. The desk has been on Craigslist for a couple of weeks, with no luck, but the couch, I'd held off on.  I got a little paranoid. My couch wasn't really built for my new place, and I didn't want to be stuck lugging it along with me. So, I put it on Craigslist, too. It sold. In an hour. Which means that Charley and I are officially couch less until we move. Ha! Total ditz.

4. I started packing big time. Which is great, because it will alleviate the work I have to do in the days just prior to our big move. But I started to pack up the kitchen, including ALL of my cooking utensils (thank goodness I didn't get into the eating utensils drawer). Basically, this just means that I won't be cooking for the next 3 weeks.

5. On my drive with Charley today, we were at a little rest stop in Iowa. I was paying for my coffee and a treat for Charley. As I reached to put my change back in my purse, I completely knocked my coffee over and it spilled everywhere. The cashier was so nice about it, but it was so embarrassing! One of those moments, where you just have to laugh at yourself. So I did!

Those little mishaps are just the tip of the iceberg. I have a feeling the next couple of weeks will be full of similar moments. With that said, if I come off like a complete idiot at any given time between now and the time I move, forgive me. I will be back to normal after I move and get settled in.

On that note, have a fantastic week!

P.S. It's come to my attention that I forgot one of my best moments of the week! I was in the Ikea area, the other day, and decided to take advantage of the opportunity to pick up a new storage unit for Charley's room. It was fairly large, and I knew it would be a challenge to get it into my car…particularly because I was doing it by myself! Lucky for me, Charley wasn't with me, so I was able to move her carseat out of the way. Anyway, I was fiddling with the seats, trying to get the unit in the car, when I thought I should probably just put the back seats down, and push it through the trunk. Little did I know, I had never removed Bruce, the creepy life-sized doll that's tormented my family for years, from my trunk. I had put the doll in there, with the intention of pranking my older sister when she was in town. Well, that, my friends, is what they call karma. And karma's a bitch.  I jumped back as I opened the trunk, and promptly closed it, convinced that it would be better for me to fiddle around with the seats in the front of the car than have people walk by, wondering why I had a child in my trunk. It took some maneuvering, but I pulled it off. Ha!