Dear week: Dinner plans

Dear Monday,
Thanks for taking it easy on me today. I had less tasks to do at work than I've had in a while. I got to stroll leisurely around Dollar Tree and look for everything (and nothing). I got some grocery shopping done, which means yummy homemade dinners this week. Matched up dance shoes for Ms. Sherilyn during Emma's dance class tonight. Fun day all around.
Dinner: Pork tenderloin, rice au gratin, and steamed broccoli.

Dear Tuesday,
Back to normal in regards to lunch with my mom today. She was sick and off work for a few weeks, so our regularly-scheduled Tuesday and Thursday lunches were on hiatus. Back in action today! Hooray!
Dinner: Seafood mix stir fry with Jasmine rice.

Dear Wednesday,
Helping out this afternoon at Emma's school. I always enjoy being there. Love the staff at Poston Road Elementary. We are so blessed that Emma gets to attend there.
Dinner: Whatever they're serving at church. Whatever it is, it will be delicious.

Dear Thursday,
Lunch again with Mom today.
Dinner: Radiatore pasta with grilled chicken strips and pesto.

Dear Friday,
TGIF! Ready for a relaxing weekend after the past few have been pretty hectic.
Dinner: Unsure. Possibly chicken breasts, corn, and cheese biscuits.

Freestyle Friday: TGIF!

3 Thoughts Thursday: Questions

1. Why are paper cuts so painful?
I mean, they are these tiny little slivers, but they feel like you've basically sliced yourself with the hugest, sharpest knife ever.

2. Why do some weeks seem to fly by, while others seem to  d r a g  o n  f o r e v e r ?
This week is a long one.

3. Can someone please institute a mandatory daily nap time for adults?
No explanation needed.

WaCkY wEdNeSdAy

How today was wacky:

1. Emma stumbled on the top step while getting on the bus and fell to her tiny little knees. (She's so lucky that she got the clumsy gene from me...) She's fine, by the way; but that's still a wacky (not normal) thing to happen.
2. I stayed much later than normal working on the newsletter at work. We are almost done with the newsletter already, earlier than we have been in several months. Thus being (pretty much) on time is wacky.
3. I helped out at Emma's school this afternoon. Three wacky things:
1. The copier was putting a line across the top of every page it printed. That is, every page it printed where the original was put through the automatic paper feeder. It was fine if you put the original on the glass. Wacky copier.
2. Emma and I ended up staying after school today so I could finish the project I was working on for her teacher. Emma did her homework in her classroom and already turned it in, which is pretty wacky.
3. Someone parked their car by the front curb at the school before school dismissed. When Emma and I left, said car was still parked at the curb: which means it was there, gumming up the works for all the people who were there to pick up their kiddos from school. That's wacky. (And very rude.)

Was your day wacky, too? How so?

Twitter Tuesday: Girl Scouts

I'm leading Emma's Brownie/Daisy meeting this afternoon. I'm excited and a little nervous. My mom was my leader back in the day. #memories

Dear weekend: Dancing

Dear Saturday morning,
Emma had junior bowling league in the morning. She is so consistent. It's so cute. She bowled 84 and 70 on her games. She still uses the bumpers for now; but when she gets a little stronger, she won't ever need them. She barely uses them now, though.

Dear Saturday afternoon,
I was a nervous wreck all day because Dancing with Our Hometown Stars was in the evening. We had rehearsal on the stage at about 3:15, then a friend came over and fixed our hair. I didn't get a photo of us together with our fancy hair because we were both so nervous and rushed and frantic. I'm kicking myself for that.

Dear Saturday evening,
Show time! Below is a picture a friend of mine who was in the audience took at the beginning of our dance.

You can't see our hair very well, but we both had some sweet 1940s victory rolls. We looked adorable. :)

Our dance went pretty well, even though we both felt we messed up a few times. Other people didn't seem to notice. The three judges gave us scores of 8, 8, and 8. Let's just say Kim and I felt those were less than adequate scores.

Anyway, we figured we wouldn't win anything; but it turned out that we won the People's Choice award! Pretty sure both our jaws dropped to the floor when that was announced. Although we didn't feel it was our best effort (the last two run-throughs before the show had been perfect, of course), we had a blast together. Plus our kids got to play together several times and had so much fun. Fast friends. And that's more important than any award or score.

Dear Sunday,
Our praise team from church is singing at a benefit for Manna Mission next weekend. We had rehearsal after church. I think we're going to be great. I know it will be a lot of fun. I really enjoy getting to sing with my family: Chris's aunts and one of his uncles. Plus Chris plays bass. It's almost a family band. The drummer, Dave, is the only non-Heacock family member. But he lives next door to Chris's aunt and uncle, so he's basically family, too. Good times.

Dear fantasy football,
Can't I win just ONE time?

Freestyle Friday: Fantasy football

My fantasy football team hasn't gotten off to the best start. Two weeks down: two losses. Honestly, I just want one win. Is that too much to ask? Just one. I just don't want to be the team who gets skunked and doesn't win at all.

Maybe someone out there can help me. I'll tell you who's on my roster, then you can tell me who I should play/drop/pick up. (Because obviously I have no idea what I'm doing.)

QB
Colin Kaepernick
RGIII
Tony Romo

RB
Adrian Peterson
Darren McFadden
Darren Sproles

WR
Mike Wallace
Calvin Johnson
Julian Edelman
Brandon Marshall
Steve Smith
Antonio Brown

TE
Jason Witten
Antonio Gates

K
Phil Dawson
Blair Walsh

Defense
Steelers
Rams

3 Thoughts Thursday: Rain

1. Wet jeans is possibly one of the worst things ever.
You know, when you come inside after being out in the rain and having to walk in it, and you take off your shoes and then you walk around in socks that are now wet because the backs of your jeans are wet and you step on the wet part? Hate it.

2. Drive-thru + rain = wet arm.
Shouldn't it be a rule that all drive-thrus have to have an overhang?

3. It's pointless to fix your hair when it's raining.
That is all.

Wacky Wednesday

There are big, loud machines outside of my house today working on the street in front of my driveway. Luckily we have two driveway entrances (hooray for the front loop!), because I wouldn't have been able to get in my driveway otherwise.  At least now it's not so bumpy to get into my driveway.

And then I was helping out at Emma's school, and now I have a bruise on my finger from using these terrible scissors. Such is the life of a volunteer.

Twitter Tuesday: #BreakingBad

I've been binge-watching #BreakingBad. I'm very late to the party. At least I'm caught up to the current season now. Love @aaronpaul_8!

Dear Weekend: Sore Saturday

Dear Saturday,
Emma had her junior bowling league this morning. The other person she normally bowls against wasn't there; so instead of having her bowl alone, I bowled against her. We bowled two games. On the first game Emma scored 94, and scored 93. Ouch. I woke up on Sunday with a sore arm (I haven't bowled in so long - my poor arm isn't used to it!!).

Dear Saturday,
We played a little cornhole and a few games of bocce ball at MIL and FIL's house. Side note: I'm much better at bocce than cornhole. I woke up on Sunday with sore thighs (from all the bending down to pick up stuff - how out of shape am I??).

Dear Saturday,
Kim came over, and we rehearsed for NEXT WEEKEND'S Dancing with Our Hometown Stars. Big Daddy recorded us, and we watched it back. We were pleasantly surprised at how together it looked. I want to invite everyone to come support us: Dancing with Our Hometown Stars, 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Martinsville High School auditorium. (All proceeds go to the Fall Foliage Festival.) I'm sure I woke up on Sunday sore from this, too.

Dear Sunday,
My fantasy football team failed me today. More specifically, Colin Kaepernick and Adrian Peterson failed me. Big time. But I digress.

Dear Sunday,
Dinner at Penn Station with Emma was super fun! And then we did some 15% off shopping at Kohl's (I had a coupon). I got a shirt, Emma got a dance leotard and two stuffed animals (money goes to charity), and my brother-in-law got two birthday items that he won't get to see until his birthday party on the 29th. Let me just say that they are awesome. That is all.

Freestyle Friday: Bridging

I am helping lead Emma's Daisy/Brownie troop this year.  They were all Daisies last year; but this year some of the girls are in 2nd grade, meaning they bridge up to Brownies.  We held an official bridging ceremony tonight, with a celebratory campfire (and obligatory s'mores) afterward.  It was wonderful.

The bridge - the bridging Brownies drew pictures about things they like about Girl Scouts, and we displayed them.

First we had the girls (we had both Brownies and Daisies from the troop there) line up and say the Girl Scout Promise.

Then each bridging Brownie read a few lines from the Girl Scout Law and "bridged" to officially become Brownies. They received a brown ribbon sash, a certificate, a bridging patch, and a gift from the Daisies. At our meeting this week, the Daisies made pretty beaded bracelets for the older girls. It was very cute.

Emma wore the Brownie uniform that belonged to her Mamaw Peggy (my mom) as a young Brownie. Isn't that so sweet?

Here is a sweet photo of all 3 of our new Brownies:

After the ceremony, the girls roasted marshmallows and made s'mores with brownies instead of Hershey bars. I didn't try one, but one of the dads said it was even better with brownies than with Hershey bars.

We were really pleased with how the event turned out.

3 Thoughts Thursday: Stuff I don't like

1. Getting junk under my fingernails
Like dirt, dough, BBQ sauce (one of the main reasons I don't like BBQ sauce is because it gets under my fingernails)

2. People who don't follow through
One of my biggest pet peeves. Say you're going to do something? Mean it. Do it. Then we won't have a problem.

3. People who drive slow in the fast lane
Seriously, there aren't many things more frustrating than that.

Comment with 3 things you don't like. Let it out. You'll feel better.

Wednesday: Where was I? 12 years ago

I wasn't sure I even wanted to write about this - like I'm jumping on the "Remembering 9-11" bandwagon with everyone else. But this is the anniversary of the day the lives of Americans changed forever.

On that fateful day, I was working at a local TV station in Noblesville: the weirdest, most terrible job I've ever had. (Let's just say I worked there for a month and left because the owners were crazy. Plus I never got a paycheck. It was an odd situation. But I digress.)

The camera guy and I were watching the coverage on the tiny TV in the studio, in complete shock. I think we actually watched as the second tower got hit. Then the bosses let us go home to be with our families. (Possibly the only decent thing they ever did. Again I digress.)

The rest of the day is a blur.

So that's where I was 12 years ago today.

Twitter Tuesday: Need prayer

Would you please stop for a second and say a prayer of healing for my mom? She's having some chest and back pain. I'm worried about her.

Dear Monday

Dear Monday,
It's my dear hubby's birthday. Big Daddy is another year older today, making him (for the time being) 2 years older than me. Our birthdays are a year and a half apart, but from September 9 to February 5 he is 2 years older.

Dear Red Lobster,
My parents took us to Red Lobster to celebrate Big Daddy's big day. Three of the 5 of us went with the Endless Shrimp deal. I abstained and instead went with parmesan-crusted tilapia with broccoli and other mixed veggies. Emma went with popcorn shrimp. We were all pleased with our choices and completely stuffed by the time we left.

Dear weather,
Stop being so hot. That is all.

Freestyle Friday: Doctor appointment day

Apparently today is doctor appointment day.

I knew I had my annual eye doctor appointment this afternoon; but I woke up this morning and felt a bit dizzy. I have a tendency to get ear infections, so I figured I better make an appointment with my doctor.

Verdict: fluid in both ears.

Awesome.

So now I have medicine for a double ear infection, and I have another doctor appointment in less than an hour.

How old am I, again?

3 Thoughts Thursday: Carry On

1. Rocking out to "Carry On My Wayward Son" while driving may be dangerous.

It may or may not make someone drive right past the road they meant to turn onto because they aren't paying attention. Maybe.

2. It's fun getting to see Emma "in action" at school.

I volunteered today in her classroom and made lots of copies and other stuff like that for her teacher. I'll do it each Wednesday from now on.

3. It's really hard to sit still while waiting for my fingernails to dry.

Seriously.

Wednesday: Where am I? Craft projects

I am currently working on (or not working on, whatever the case may be) two craft projects:

1. Vacation memorabilia/paper journal
   So far I'm basically moving in a backward direction on this project.
   
   
2. Cross-stitch piece
   It's coming along nicely. I always find cross-stitching relaxing.
   

Twitter Tuesday: Nap

I could go for a nap every day today. I'm thinking about instituting a daily naptime for myself.

Dear Monday: Star Wars Day

Dear Monday,
Thanks for being a holiday, meaning neither Big Daddy nor I had to work; nor did Emma have school. So what did we do? Go to a museum to see a Star Wars exhibit.

Dear Indiana State Museum,
Your Star Wars exhibit was so cool. I enjoyed being allowed to nerd out and not feel like a weirdo because I was with my own kind. We were all nerds together. Emma and I got our picture taken with Han Solo. :) And Emma got her photo taken with several other Star Wars characters and memorabilia. So. Cool.

Jedi Emma

Yoda is wicked good at the staring contest.

"Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."
Yeah, I went there.

You can see all the photos Big Daddy took here.

Dear L.S. Ayers Tea Room,
I haven't thought about you in a really, really long time; but I'm very sad to know that I can't bring Emma to have tea there. I was very young when I went with my mom, but I do still remember it (albeit vaguely). Sad that I don't get to share that experience with my daughter. Anyone know of a good tea room around here?