This & That

School Drop Off Road Rage

Let’s discuss school drop-off for a minute.. some of you with school age children, especially elementary age, will know exactly what I’m talking about. Some of you will remember the days, and know all to well that I’m talking about. Some of you aren’t there yet, and trust me.. one day you’ll know what I’m talking about. What am I talking about? The people who can’t seem to grasp the ‘drop off’ part of dropping your kids off at school.

The struggle is real, people. I posted a mini rant on Facebook today and there are so many people who have the same views I do on this subject.

Here is my post from this morning:

I need a whistle and a badge because the morning drop off’s at school need some direction. I am suffering from severe, acute, school drop off road rage. How hard is it? You pull up.. little Johnny or little Judy gets out and you MOVE ALONG! Nooo, there’s always someone.. someone who decides to give a life lessons talk just as the kid tries to get out. I get it, things happen.. you forget after school instructions, money needing to be turned in, etc…. but these are repeat offenders I’m talking about. The ones that you see them pull in just before you and you’re like “crap nuggets!!!” because you know how it’s going to go. Like this one guy… we’ll call him Clueless Clyde, his kids can’t manage to put their own backpacks on (or so he seems to think) they are also completely incapable of opening the door to the school themselves. Which is fine.. what’s not fine is that he pulls directly in front of the door (where all kids are dropped off)… get’s out of his truck.. opens their door, get’s them out.. puts BOTH of their backpacks on for them… then walks them to the front door. He doesn’t even try to hurry. Nope, he just takes his sweet arse time while everyone else waits for him to move. Here’s the thing… if you want/need to do that for your kids. Yay… go you! But pull into a flipping parking spot and let everyone else who’s kids ARE capable of those things go about their day. This happens ALL THE TIME!!! I even try to time it where I’m not getting there the same time he does. Some times that works, sometimes not. I have started to give him ‘the look’ as I drive by though. He’s clueless. GRRRR!!!!! And today.. this lady drops her kids off, then pulls up BLOCKING the way out and just stops. No reason.. just stops and doesn’t move.. I need a drink and it’s only 8:30.

Surely people can NOT be this clueless to the standard drop off procedure… or maybe they just think their time is more important than everyone else’s. If you can’t manage to drop your kids off within 30-40 seconds, you need to pull out and try it again from the back of the line… or park your car.. in a parking spot. Ugh!

I invite you to vent your drop off/pick up frustrations in the comments. I know you have them! Vent! Let it all out.. you’ll feel so much better. 😉

Here….. take my money. $$$

Reviews

I’m a sucker for anything that promises to make me look better. Eye creams, wrinkle creams, ‘use this so you don’t get a wrinkle’ creams. I seriously bought stickers that you stick to your forehead to ‘iron’ out wrinkles while you sleep and keep the frown lines at bay.

That’s all well and good if you don’t mind trying to sleep with cardboard on your face, and even risking the occasional paper cut. That’s basically all they are.. thick paper with sticky stuff on the back. Maybe I didn’t give them a fair shot, so I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away. I may try them again later out of desperation.

In my milling around on the interweb I came across Ipsy. What is Ipsy you say.. well, Ipsy is a monthly membership for beauty products to try before you buy. Well, I guess you are ‘technically’ buying them already since the membership isn’t free, but anyway… each month they send you several beauty products to try for the bargain price of $10 a month. You fill out a little questionnaire about your beauty style and hair color/skin tone/etc. and they send you products according to your answers.

My first bag was in July and I got some bronzer, a lip crayon, some eye shadow, some beach spray for hair, and a couple of other things. That’s another thing, all of your products come it a cutesy makeup bag. The jury is still out on if it will be worth $10 each month or not.. but that’s the beauty (see what I did there 😉 ) of Ipsy… you can do a month to month membership and cancel at any time. If you want to check them out and maybe try it for yourself here’s the link to their site. IPSY

Things you ponder during a power outage…

Random Ramblings

As an adult, do you ever stop and try to remember the last time that you were truly carefree.. without any real worries or responsibilities? Sometimes being a responsible adult bites. In fact, a lot of the time it bites big time! Don’t get me wrong, I have a wonderful life.. I know that a lot of people have a lot more worries than I have.. and I am blessed. I am thankful for my awesome little boy that brightens my whole world, a supportive, caring husband who I get along with all of the time. Ok, those last 4 words were total BS.. not to say we aren’t wonderfully happy because we are… but if anyone tells you that they get along all of the time with anyone they share a home with, they are lying through their teeth!

Ok, sorry.. kind of trailed off there for a bit. Anywho, back to what I was saying…. There are so many things, concerns, to-do lists, nagging responsibilities, etc., that go through our minds on a daily basis. Crap, not even daily.. more like every 2 seconds. Just in the last minute I have stressed about laundry that needs to be done, how I’m going to keep my son’s 2 Leopard Geckos alive – since we lost power in the ice storm that we just had, the milk in my fridge will probably ruin, along with everything else, and many, many, other things. I know all of those worries will disappear once the power comes back on, but there are tons of other stuff I worry about just waiting in the wings until ‘go time’. Hopefully, one of those things won’t be planning a funeral for Rango and Beans, because they fell victim to Oklahoma Icemageddon 2013. God forbid that happen, but the crafty side of me would want to attempt little gecko sized caskets. That could be my next tutorial! ( totally kidding BTW 😉 )

(apparently I’m a little late to the Gecko casket idea.. I seriously just found this on Google images)

But that’s what got me pondering that question… I really don’t remember the last time that I had absolutely no worries at all. Of course, it’s human nature to worry, but I can’t help but wonder if the word ‘adult’ originates from the latin word meaning ‘to worry’. I’ll have to Google that. Well, once we get power back on anyway. 😉

And that’s another thing.. I’m ashamed at how much I rely on Google for information. (hence the above photo) That has even been a cause of a lot of my worries from time to time. Don’t ever Google symptoms, because you’ll wind up on WebMD convinced you have cancer. I even use Google for my spellcheck. I have to say, most of what I google is pure nonsense. I would be embarrassed if my Google search history were to ever be made public that’s for sure. I have even Googled ‘celebrities with herpes’ after hearing that David Beckham is rumored to have ‘the herpes’. So if you every find yourself bored and need something to occupy a couple of minutes of your time, just Google ‘celebrities with herpes’…. some are shocking, and others you are surprised that’s all they have.

Not really sure how I went from talking about the worries of responsible adults all the way to herpes, but that’s kind of how my mind works at times. 😉

*I’m happy to report that the power has been restored.. but now my Dad has pneumonia… worry, worry, worry….. thankfully it’s just a mild case and not too serious.

Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That….

Random Ramblings

Ok, first my disclaimer.. I am the Mom that takes pride in making little goodie bags with my son to take to class parties.. I decorate pumpkins with cute ribbon at Halloween… and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered (although, not for long) making my own laundry detergent.. Don’t get me wrong.. I’m a pretty crafty chick. I enjoy a good Pinterest project as well as anyone, but… I do have my limits. Some of the things that people repin on Pinterest has me thinking.. do these people have really have time for this crap. I mean, I’m sure making your own marshmallows taste better than Stay Puft, but seriously?

By all means.. let me take 12 hours out of my day to make my own freaking sprinkles? Or spend the remaining 12 making my own confetti. I am not trying to bash those who think these projects are great.. but don’t your hands cramp up? I mean, you are stamping out all of these little tiny circles with a hole punch.. for hours.. and hours… You can stamp away if you like.. but I think I’ll just head to the party supply and buy mine thanks.

Color Me Crazy!

Just For Fun • Random Ramblings

Let me start by saying, I am soooo NOT a runner. I had the delusion of attempting the C25K last year, but failed miserably. That being said, last night I signed up for a 5K. WHAT? I know, right. It wouldn’t be a big deal for most people, but for me, it’s terrifying.

Let me back up.. for a while I have wanted to learn to run. I say ‘learn’, because it is indeed a learned skill for 34 year olds who have never been able to do so.. I mean, never. I recall in horror my 4th grade year PE class, in which we had to run for 15 or 20 minutes along the fence surrounding the playground every couple of weeks. I. Would. Puke. Every. Time…. EVERY time…without fail. MORTIFYING. I was your typical 4th grader.. average height, average weight.. I wasn’t a fat kid trying to run while eating a bag full of powdered donuts or anything close to it. For THAT kid, of course puking would be expected. So.. running has always been something I have dreaded, but at the same time, deep down something I always wished I could do.

I have always had a love/hate relationship with exercise. I feel so great after I do, but getting the first foot out the door is the hardest step to take. There’s always an excuse as to why tomorrow would be better than today. I even have a membership to the YMCA that I’ve used a handful of times over the past year, but I refuse to cancel it.. instead I pay each month for a membership I never use… I haven’t crossed the threshold in months. In my twisted way of thinking, by keeping it, I haven’t completely given up on becoming healthier and possibly fitting into the cute jeans I haven’t worn in years. A security blanket of sorts.. if I keep it, I haven’t truly failed… again. Crazy logic I know.. and my husband also thinks I’m nuts, but he’s been entirely too good about not bringing it up… much.

Ok, so back to the 5K… Yesterday, my sister called me and the first words out of her mouth were, “Man, I want to be a runner…” and then the proceeded to tell me about a couple of people she saw running by her work. We talked about it for a few minutes, then went on to discuss other things… once I hung the phone up, it was forgotten… until… Last night a friend of mine posted a link on Facebook for the Color Me Rad 5K. My first thought was, wow.. that looks like fun.. but it was immediately followed by.. you could never do that.

The little voice in our heads can either be our best friend or our worst enemies. Well, I finally told that little voice to screw off.. I was doing it. Granted, it didn’t take it lying down.. its been talking back quite a bit.. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t in somewhat of a panic, but I can do this. I will do this.. and what better motivation to get my butt to the gym. I don’t think anything happens by accident. There was a reason my sister and I had the conversation we did yesterday, and there was a reason I saw my friend’s post. I’m going way out of my comfort zone this time, but to become someone you’ve never been.. you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.

I was meant to do this…

Kiss that annoying nighttime cough GOODBYE!

Family • Reviews

MIRACLE IN A JAR!

We’ve all experienced it.. you’ve got a cold, bronchitis, etc.. you may start feeling better, but that nagging dry cough, tickle in your throat keeps you from sleeping at night… not to mention your significant other may be secretly plotting your death from the other side of the bed due to your constant hacking… Well, I have read about this trick several times online over the past year or so, and thought, “No way.. it can’t possibly be that simple.” Well, let me tell you IT WORKS!!!

The trick:

Rub Vicks Vapor Rub on the soles of your feet and then cover with a pair of socks before getting into bed at night.

I was desperate last night.. I grabbed an old bottle of Vicks that I’ve had since Lane was a baby.. didn’t even know if it was expired or not, but it’s all I had. Much to my amazement… I did not cough one single time after slapping this stuff on my feet. Not sure why it works, but it does.

The next time you or your kiddos are coughing at night, try it.. you’ll be a happy camper and so will they.

It’s that simple.. all the years I’ve suffered.. all the sleepless nights.. who knew?

French Fries and Tornado Sirens

Random Ramblings

I’m still.. at times… afraid of the dark. Once in a while I dip my french fries in my chocolate shake, because it tastes better that way. Music is the one thing that soothes me when I’m angry, can make me cry when I least expect it, and can zap me to a distant place in time that was once long forgotten. Tornado sirens freak me out… seriously.. when the weather is bad, I need a babysitter. I hate my hair.. no matter what I do, how it’s cut or colored.. I’m never happy with it. I can be painfully shy at times.. and that’s often mistaken for snobbishness… It’s hard for me to allow myself to get close to anyone… only the select few I let into my ‘circle’ actually get to see the real me. The sun rises and sets in my little boy’s eyes. He’s my world. I cuss entirely too often. I’m culinarily challenged. I sometimes laugh when I shouldn’t. When I do laugh, there might even be an occasional snort. I’m a jack of all trades, but a master of none. I have an addiction to sweet tea and chocolate and sometimes even enjoy them together. I can be insecure, insensitive, and intolerant. I love to make people laugh. I suffer from insane road rage… at least drive the speed limit people.. is that too much to ask? I’m generous to a fault, but can be terribly selfish. I’m a peace maker, fire putter outer, and smoother overer and sometimes even the glue. I care what other people think.. probably more than I should. I have OCD tendencies, striving for perfection.. when it isn’t even possible. If I’m not good at something the first time I try, I get mad and want to quit. It’s something I’m afraid I’ve passed on to my son… sadly, he shows all the signs. I hate hearing my voice on a recording, it makes me cringe. As bad as I hate to admit, I can be judgmental, but I’m working on it. There are times I talk when I shouldn’t, or I’m quiet when I should speak and I have a knack for saying the most inappropriate thing at the most inappropriate times.. what can I say.. it’s a gift. I fill out Christmas cards, but never mail them… no really.. it’s the thought that counts, right? I get cranky when I’m tired. I don’t handle stress well… I’m surprised I made it to 30 without suffering a stroke. I can’t burp, my Mom can’t either, so I’m assuming it’s hereditary. I care too much.. and then not enough. I own way too many bottles of nail polish. I would consider a nose job, because I think mine is too big. I have expensive taste.. and it’s a curse. I am admittedly shallow and superficial at times and even a little petty. I am a walking contradiction most of the time and can change my mind at the drop of a hat.. or before it even hits the floor. I’m a germophobe… we go through a lot of soap in this house. I don’t take compliments well.. brushing them off when I should just say “Thank you”. Bad grammar rakes my nerves… Speaking of, I have way too many pet peeves. So, I’m sure I’ll be adding to this more later.. but thought my ‘about me’ section could use a P.S.