Friday Night In

I am the kind of person that has a hard time sitting still. Being a mom, there is always something to pick up, put away, clean up, sign, make, replace, fill, empty...you name it. It needs to be done. It really gives me a purpose. I'm not complaining because I love having a purpose. 

Tonight, my purpose is visiting his dad for the weekend and I am chillaxin' and relaxin'. I got home and made myself a pork dinner, enjoyed a package that I received in the mail (finally), layed on the couch, watched a movie and had a ME night. In the past I was made to feel bad about pampering myself, but I've learned that everyone deserves a little pampering. Treating yourself to some ME time is not a bad thing, it's a healthy thing!

So here I am. I feel restored and renewed and ready to tackle the weekend! (not that the weekend needs to be tackled, because I plan on extending my ME evening, to a ME weekend.)

Don't Loose That Spark

A quote I found from Ayn Rand.

“In the name of the best within you, do not sacrifice this world to those who are its worst. In the name of the values that keep you alive, do not let your vision of man be distorted by the ugly, the cowardly, the mindless in those who have never achieved his title. Do not lose your knowledge that man's proper estate is an upright posture, an intransigent mind and a step that travels unlimited roads. Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it's yours.”

Take My Backpack, please.

Today was a "test run" at the middle school for all of the incoming 6th graders. Being that my son has A TON of school supplies and a trumpet to bring to school on Monday, I suggested he bring a few things today in his backpack. (Sounded like a good idea, right??!) That was all well and good, until other kids showed up at the bus stop with just their schedules in hand....and no backpacks.

He leaned over to me and asked, "Can you take my backpack home, please." He was being nice because I know he really wanted to say, "For God's sake MOM, why did you make me bring my backpack today?!?"

I'll be taking him to school on Monday because he doesn't want to carry all of his school supplies on the bus.

At The End of the Day

At the end of the day after all the work is done; At the end of the day as we watch the setting sun; After all the trials, and after all the pain; After all the struggles to make it through the day;

I thank God for peace and rest and for the little smiles from you; I thank God for the rising stars and for little hugs from you.

For there is no blessing, such as this I found so true; It's such a pleasure just coming home and spending the end of the day with you.

A Name Above All Names

I have been long overdue for a trip away from St. Louis and this weekend was the perfect time for one. I have a dear friend that recently moved from Hawaii to Kansas City and because I am stoked she back on the mainland....I decided to head to Kansas City to see her (PLUS I knew she probably was long overdue for some Kel time!)

Erica and I very much the same. We're single moms. We're quite the empaths. And we take life by the horns and say, "Bring it." 

One of the BEST things about this weekend was Erica's daughter, Sequoia. I am her Auntie Kelly and it's a name that someone has given me that I will forever cherish. (It's 2nd best to being called Mommy.) She is the only one in my life that calls me Aunt because...I don't have any siblings, therefore technically cannot be anyone's aunt. BUT I AM AUNT KELLY to Sequoia....and I absolutely love it.

Being that I work for a dancewear company that makes THE CUTEST dancewear and costumes, I brought a few little items for Sequoia to enjoy. Next to myself, I have never seen anyone enjoy clothes like this little girl. It was FASHION SHOW weekend for sure. She seriously changed outfits like every half hour. On Saturday evening, we dropped her off at gymnastics (so Erica and I could enjoy a little girl time shopping for ourselves) and when she walked into the door the first thing out of her mouth was, "Look at what my auntie brought for me? Isn't it beautiful." Adorable. Words can't descibe how wonderful I felt.

There's just something about being called Aunt Kelly that I will never take for granted...and that I will truely live up to being given that name.  All I have to say is WATCH OUT WORLD, because this little 6 year old fashionista is going to be famous one day! And her AUNT KELLY is going to be supplying the diva's wardrobe!

Gross.

There's nothing more disgusting than coming across a dead bird. I used to have a dog that LOVED to come across dead birds, and then roll around in them. (yes, he would smell horrible after this exercize) Sometimes he would pick them up and put them on the step. Ummm, no thanks. Dead birds are disgusting! I will cross the street if I am on a walk and notice one in the distance...so I won't have to walk by it.

Then today happened. I was driving back from a nice lunch with my windows down and the music playing...loving life. I pulled into a an available parking spot, turned the car off and then saw it. A dead bird stuck in the grill of the car in front of me. I almost started my car up again and pulled into another parking spot...but I thought, no, I can handle this. As I got out of my car, I avoided my eyes...but a quick accidental glance made me throw up in my mouth a little.

You're Either A Toaster or An Oven...You Can't Be Both

I am frustrated with the toaster oven here at work. I see other people use it, so I know it works. Why is it when I go to use it, I have my bagel in there and I'm standing around waiting for it to toast....and nothing happens. No toasting. No heating up. Nothing.

I feel like an idiot.

Microwaves are the greatest invention ever.

Not A Cat Person

So I am not a cat person, but I have seemed to find myself with cats as pets over the years.

1.) Snickers: The grumpy old fat cat I had in high school. He was awesome. He hated everyone except for the 3 of us. He was best known for hissing at every single boyfriend that I had come into the house. That pleasantly amused my dad. The way we came about having him is humorous. My mom and dad aren't pet people, but this cat was roaming around the church for a couple weeks and people continued to feed it therefore it never left. One day I asked my dad if we could bring it home. I was in high school. I wanted a pet I could call my own and my parents refused all of my, "Can we get a dog?" questions. Well, he gave in and one day brought it home. ...And my mom threw a shit fit. "That thing is NOT coming in the house." was a phrase I heard quite loudly.

It eventually was allowed into the house.

Snickers lived to be quite the household pet until he got older and couldn't remember where the litter box was. That highly annoyed my mom (as it would just about everyone I know). He died the same day Princess Diana died and will be remembered for ever.

2.) Tasha: Orange Tabby. I received her as a gift. She was a cute and hyper kitten who loved to get into just about everything. How can you turn down a real live gift like that? They always are the cutest when their kittens. It's when they turn into adult cats and the attitude changes. The I'm the princess of the house and you will serve me attitude...just annoys me. And Tasha knew how to annoy me at the worst times. 5:30 in the morning is not the time to play. Ever.

She ended up going to live with my parents, because (a) my new place didn't allow pets and (b) well, I just couldn't do the 5:30am playtime anymore. (You know cats can knock loudly on doors? Well, if you didn't...you now know.)

3.) Hannah: A pity rescue. Some of my friends were out one night and in their "altered" state of mind saw a cat in the bushes. Instead of leaving it alone, they took it home with him claiming it was homeless and needed a good home. I love animals. Don't get me wrong...but I should have never agreed to taking this cat. She craves attention. And when she gets attention she has the LOUDEST purring. We refer to it as her motor.

Well, (6 years freaking later)the day has come that I just cannot keep her anymore. Rescuers remorse so to say. but of course I feel horribly that I have had to do this:

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/pet/1306944866.html

Please tell me I'm not a horrible person. I just am not a cat person. I just know there has to be some little girl out there that wants a cat. A companion she can call her own. I am not that girl anymore.

I Got Myself Some Stars