Oh Hey! It's September!

September?!?  UGH.  Blogging fail.

Our daughter got artist of the year at the end of her 5th grade/Elementary school year in June, as well as Honor Roll all year.

Summer was spent at home, going to the beach a couple of times, the zoo once, a few swimming lessons for the gal. Low key.

Happy First Day of Middle School to our gal!  She's not really too happy, but what can you do?  I believe I was more stressed than she was.

Oh, I celebrated TWENTY years at my work this August.  Twenty years!

Happy Lucky 13th Anniversary to Us!  This year was low-key because we're working hard to eradicate debt.  (Paid off one last flight school loan, down to one last car payment, then we tackle our one credit card bill.)  We spent $50 each on goodies (macro cell phone lens, book and Matthew West cd for me. Video game and two blu-rays for him) and went out to dinner with our gal in tow.

Next week, Happy Birthday to me!

Still working on my nail art.  LOL  Hey. I'm getting much better.


Life's been pretty low-key.  Like I said, buckling down on finances (See Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course for more info.)

Thanking a Mentor

My husband & I are taking a financial planning class at church. We're enjoying it very much and have realized we're kind-of ahead of the curve. We're ahead of where the class says we should be and in this I thank two people, my mom and my former manager Jeff Cole.  Mom for being a hard-working woman who showed us girls that no one owed us a darned thing and if you wanted something, you worked for it.  Jeff for putting me into action.

I've been with my company 20 years.   When I started, I was still married to my ex and our finances were in shambles.  It was about bankruptcy, bounced checks, and constantly getting fired (not me.)  After the divorce, I was a single mom with a pretty decent job, but if I balanced my checkbook and had $10 left after paying bills and buying food, I was doing the happy dance.

In came Jeff Cole.  Jeff had been with our company a while, but had been promoted to a regional management position, which meant he was our new regional manager.  Immediately, IMMEDIATELY, Jeff would speak to all of us about investing in ourselves.  Paying ourselves first by putting money into our savings accounts via direct deposit, investing at least 10% pre-tax in our 401k, having life insurance, etc. etc.  

Over & over, every visit, Jeff would ask if we'd set up the direct deposit, if we'd started 401k. Here I was, 26 years old or so with a kid, ZERO child support,  and not 2 nickles to rub together and this guy wants me to save?  Is he crazy?

He decided to go into business on his own.  Before he left, he had a meeting with me and told me I was getting a substantial raise BUT it came with a caveat; the raise money would be used to fund my savings and 401k.  Basically, I would not feel the raise. The difference would be going into savings and a 401k.  I agreed.  I started saving, investing in our 401k and got myself a life insurance policy with both work and an independent insurance agency and prepaid my son's college in 5 years.

Here I am, 15 years from that conversation, and to this day, I credit him and my mom's common sense inherent in me for not having credit card debt (we have one card debt that we're working down with this class' help - I tend to have $$ and not want to give it up. We also have an old school loan of my husband's and one car payment we're working to eradicate ), for having a 401k in the six digits, for making my husband prove to me 8 years ago when all the real estate craziness was happening that we could make the new house payments on paper and actually getting it done,  for being the one who says "No, we are NOT charging that, we don't need it," for paying for all the furniture in our house with cash, and for taking vacations in cash. (Colorado vacation? Paid for in cash.  We enjoyed ourselves and aren't paying interest months later on it.)

We're not rich.  I had someone tell me years ago  "That's cause you're rich!," a bit snidely I might add.  Combined, we do not make six digits, people.   We  just know how to work with what we've got. We are not slaves to the lenders.  We don't pay interest.  We don't have the money? Guess what, we're not buying it.

I want so much to tell younger people to please invest. Please pay cash, don't charge things, Sacrifice.   Please don't buy a new car and make payments.  Save and buy a used one now, so you can save, trade that in and buy a better one later.  

I blinked and I'm 45.  You'll be here so quickly. 

Thank you Jeff.  Thank you for making a 20-something gal just give up already and invest so you'd stop bugging her already.  My future is here and I'm so grateful.

Sweetness and Light

Having school-aged kids is a nerve-wracking experience. I had one sail through middle and high school with no problems. He told me later that being tall for his age, dark & brooding, made kids a little afraid of him, and no one messed with him.

Now we have a girl in fifth grade. She'll be in middle school next year, and I'm completely losing my mind over it.

Our girl is sweetness and light. Always age-appropriate in a world where kids we closely know her own age would discuss french kissing and perform gyrating dance moves, constantly confusing her.  We are active in our church. She loves the kids' church group and we try to do as much as possible with them. (Oh, these kids are not the gyrating ones. Ha ha.)

Sweeteness and light. We talk to her frankly about the changes to her body, sex, etc. and she giggles but has zero fear of asking either parent or big brother a question most would consider awkward.  I tell her she can ask us anything. She does. Boy does she ever. I enjoy the different shades her dad turns as he hears what she's asking this time.

Yesterday, I was off from work and was able to hear her walk in the side door after her bike ride home.  I ask her how her day was, and immediately hear the tone of sadness and distress when she say "Okay."

Protective Mom Gene kicks in.

I ask her what is wrong. She mumbles under her breath that it's nothing.  I try to cajole, hug, and wheedle the answer out of her.  "You can tell me anything. You know this."

For a good 10 minutes, we try to get her to spill it.  I am picturing bullies. I am already in my car, mentally, driving to school to get to the bottom of this!

She FINALLY capitulates, in tears.

She's a patrol member and there's a boy who won't follow the rules and told her "You're not the boss of me!"

That's it. I almost laughed my relief, but didn't.

"Oh honey, don't get upset over that.  You do your job and if he doesn't listen to your instructions, tell Coach and move on. The end. It's the kid's problem. He's the poop head. Just tell coach and move on. This is nothing that should even make you upset."

She is sweetness and light and wears her heart on her sleeve. She doesn't understand not following rules.

How do I toughen her up without changing her inner self?  Nerve-wracking, I tell you.

National Park Service; Fort Frederica

Labor Day weekend was a whirlwind of FUN. At the VERY LAST MINUTE, we decided to use travel points to get a free hotel stay and explore Savannah, Georgia.  Like..I booked the room Thursday night.

I'll get back to that story later.

I just wanted to give a big ole KUDOS to the National Park Services for their work at Fort Frederica National Monument in St. Simons Island, GA.

 

We arrived at the Visitor's Center and immediately, Ranger Dennis engaged our daughter in conversation. 

"Hi there, how old are you, young lady?"  "Ten," she replies.  "Want to go on an adventure?" he asks.  Then he begins to explain about their Junior Ranger Program.   Here's a pdf link with more information.  After watching a movie about the Fort and the town, she was handed an Adventure book. The Adventure book, that she got to keep, was very interactive.  Little envelopes with maps, pop-up windows with information, secret messages to take to General Oglethorpe.   She was also loaned a haversack full of things she would need to complete the mission.  The PDF link above shows what was in the haversack.

We set off outside, reading the Adventure Book and following along, moving from plot to plot, deciphering clues, filling out the book and learning about the history of the town and its people.  

Isabel works to write sentences in the Creek language.

The haversack.

Plotting on a map the route the Spaniards took,
 using a compass, spyglass, and a protractor.

The foundation of Dr. Holzendorf's two-story house.

The foundation of the candlemaker's house and shop.

The remains of the Fort.

She named a tavern and created its sign, wrote a journal entry and wrote a letter "home" to England about her stay in the town. 

We rushed back to the Visitor's Center, as we only had 15 minutes left until closing.

Ranger Dennis had everything ready for us and swore Isabel in as a Junior Park Ranger.

The program, park and Ranger are all to be commended.  

Kudos!

Lazy

Sorry.  I just have not felt like posting. I am in a posting funk, I suppose.   The beginning of the year kind of threw me sideways with a throat-punch, and I am afraid I am still recovering.  Nothing exciting to post about, I suppose.

What's new, what's new.....

Really, I can't think. My reading has been DOWN. I've not had the heart to read.   I think I've read 4 books so far.

We did not renew our annual passes to Universal in an effort to save money, so that stinks.

Isabel made this awesome Puma diorama.

She was chosen again this year as one of two Young Authors in her class and we got to see her get her award.

And she won a library drawing.

Jacob finished his sophomore year and is working over the summer to make more money for the fall semester.  No pictures, because he hides from me, the vampire.  

That is all for now.

Art & Running

Every year, Isabel's school's P.E. department hosts a family fun run.  Apparently, I did not pay attention to the notices, because last year was the first year she and I attended.  Last year, the kids had the opportunity to submit a picture to have put on the shirts.  Isabel did not submit a picture.

This year, when I heard they were accepting pictures, I made SURE she did one. She was the first person to submit it, too, to the P.E. department head.

Adorbs!

About two weeks later, David gets the call from Coach Taylor.  Isabel's drawing had been selected as the winner!!!

The two-mile Pride Prowl was yesterday, March 8.  David came with us.  We were happy about that.

Isabel's T-Shirt!!

Over 105 people ran, with Isabel's art on their shirts!  So exciting.

I wish I had gotten more shots of how large the group was, but I was more about being in the moment, than taking pictures.

Coach Taylor presents the artist to the school.

It was a lot of fun. Isabel took off with her BFF Lisa, while David and I walked with Lisa's parents, Teresa & Chuck.  At one point, David took off running to catch up to Isabel and ended up catching up to me, one lap ahead.  So I started running.  Yes, me and my knee; and it was not bad.  I ran and walked and ran, and caught back up with David, so we could complete the two miles together.  The knee IS sore today but not as bad as I thought it would be.

Having some water and tangerine at the end of the race.

Wacky Izzy, Clever Izzy

It was Wacky Hair Day at school.  

She just woke up.

(I see me)

So proud of my little girl. She struggles with math but still managed to make honor roll. 

Orlando's Creative City Project & EMP

The City of Orlando takes part in the Creative City Project.

Jacob was part of this event as part of EMP (Electronic Mobile Performance) with Stetson Professor Matt Roberts and another Stetson student, Joe Palermo.   From EMP's site:

EMP: Electronic Mobile Performance is a collaborative, multimedia project involving faculty and students from Stetson University’s Digital Arts program. The group’s primary mission is to explore collaborative artistic production using new technologies and to find new ways of presenting art outside of traditional venues. EMP is directed and founded by Matt Roberts, an Associate Professor of Digital Arts at Stetson University.


Jacob invited me to be there at the 8:30 p.m. performance.  Duh.  Like I'm not going.  Isabel and I drove to Downtown Orlando and parked right around the corner from where their first performance was set up.

I have a TON of footage.  I only uploaded the few Jacob really liked.  Video 3 has some of my favorite beats and also video 4, at around 7:50.

In this one, they're just setting up.  Jacob's in the black t-shirt, Joe's in the white t-shirt and Professor Matt's in the green t-shirt.





This one, video 1, is about 13 minutes long.  It's their first of 4 sets.  They get going right around 2:08.
Notice that the video being reflected on the balloon is set to react to the bass in the music.




This one's a short one.




This one has some good beats.



Video 4 was right at the end and my battery ran out.  Skip to about 7:50 to see my favorite part.  They start a really good jam, and then the battery dies, OF COURSE. After about an hour and a half, they were done and I had to get my gal home.  EMP moved to another location downtown near the LYNX terminal and did a second performance.

I'm so happy to see him performing again.  I have VERY MUCH missed seeing him singing and performing.

Dance!

Isabel's taking dancing classes.  She's SO not coordinated.  Sadly, she does not have my Puerto-Rican rhythm.  I love her gumption though.  She's taking dance classes, dagnabit!

She took classes during the summer.  The class was mixed ages because it was summer.  This fall, she's in an age-appropriate class with kids ages 7-10.  She's had ups and downs.  She is very much like her big brother; if they can't get it right the first time, they get upset and quit.  This I do not understand.  I have explained to her over and over "These are dance lessons.  So you can LEARN.  This is supposed to be fun.  There are no tears in dancing."

This week, the class was in low attendance.  The chatty gal that tends to get herself (and Isabel) into trouble was not there.  Isabel was focused and for once, no tears!  I was very excited.

Her dance instructor is a high school classmate of Jacob's.  They graduated the same year and share all the same friends.  The instructor's mom goes to my church and is the lady that gave me the "Shine" award for my  volunteering efforts.  She's a nice gal who I am sure was not sure what to do over Isabel's tears.  We were both happy about this most recent lesson.

I asked if I could record the class so Isabel could practice her dancing at home and she & the other parents were ok with it.  Of course, my hi-def video camera was at home, so I used my craptastic non-Smart phone video recorder.  Ugh.

The two kids in the front are doing separate dance moves while Isabel and the older kids dance on the "stage" a few beats later.  They are rehearsing for a December showcase.

I just want to pinch her, she is so darned cute!  She's just trying her darndest, God bless her.  :)

Summer Kid Recap

You haven't heard much about Jacob. That's because he's been working like a mad person trying to pay off last semester's school debt to us (done) and get started on the fall semester bills he will have (already paid off the first month's payment and is on his way to month # 2.  He has to give us $200 a week minimum to cover the semester.)   On his off time, he's gone to see some bands;

The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die, Dads and Anamanaguchi.

The guy in purple is from Anamanaguchi.

and has hung out with pals, but mostly, he's been sleeping and being a bum at home.

Isabel has had a pretty ok summer.  We wanted to sign her up for a Summer Camp at the church, but the church cancelled it due to lack of interest/too expensive.  Very saddened with that.  We did sign her up for Jazz dance classes.  She went one day a week for 5 weeks and loved it, so we signed her up for Fall sessions too.  

Her cousins came from Tennessee and stayed with us for a few days. They went to the beach here, and then they drove over to Tampa to stay for the rest of their week.  Jacob and Isabel drove to Tampa (mommy-in-near-panic) and met them at Busch Gardens for the day.

She went to her first Roller Derby game and her first Vacation Bible School.    She's already counting the days until next year's VBS.

We spent a lot of time at Universal, she & I mostly, but we did get David to come with us and mini-golf.   He just cannot do this summer heat, poor pink man.    

She looks thrilled.  It was the end of our day and she was DONE.

We went to the mall to do some dryer comparison shopping at Sears (can you believe that Lowe's won?  More on that later.) and while there, she asked again if she could do the bungee jump in the food court.  I always say no, but this time, I had $10 she was gifted from someone, so I paid the $7 for her to jump.  She was a weeeee bit scared and would not flip.

We went school-supply shopping (new tennies, two new outfits, new Jazz shoes for the fall classes, and her usual paper/pencils, etc. supplies). Fourth grade starts (started, by the time I post this) on Monday the 19th.  Jake starts his sophomore year on the 21st.

Good luck to my babies.  I will post "First Day of School" pics soon.

I'm Just Sayin'

I get really perturbed by the saying "I'm Just Saying" and also "I'm sorry, but..."

To me, these are just cop-outs to say mean things to people and make sure you feel ok in saying them.  "I'm sorry, but that outfit is ugly," or "I'm sorry, but you're just fat and need to lose weight." etc. etc.

No. You're not sorry.  Putting those 3 words in front of your statement does not excuse you from your own rudeness.  People really believe that it is ok to just say things like this.

"Well, I'm sorry, but it's the truth.  I'm just saying."

What a total cop-out.  What a way to devalue and belittle someone while trying to make yourself look innocent.  Remember mom's old saying "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all?"  It's a good rule.  Even if something is TRUE, if it does not help lift someone up, don't say it.  You don't have the right to start a mean comment with "I'm sorry, but" or end a mean comment with "I'm just saying."  If you're really all about the honesty, start your comment out with  "I'm a mean person and I want to make you feel bad, so..." because at least that is more honest.

No, I'm not mad at anyone.  My daughter and I were doing her Bible studies tonight and were reading Ephesians 4:29:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (NIV)

I want her to know that the behavior I see online and in person is absolutely not acceptable.  I want her to learn it from a young age, so she's not the mean person who hurts others with her words.  Words do have power.  Don't use them to hurt.

Elementary School Run and Women's Retreat

Saturday was a long day for me.

It began with my daughter and me waking up around 6:30 a.m. to get ready for a 2-mile fun run, hosted by the P.E. department at 7:30 a.m. at her school's field.

But before we could go there, we had to stop off our church to drop off brownies, cupcakes and cake pops I had made for the Women's Retreat that I was attending that same morning at 9:30 a.m.  With some help from some of the youth, we got the Jeep unloaded and then heading a half-mile away to Isabel's school for the run.  It was 43 degrees when we arrived.  That's like....20 in Florida terms.  We were COLD.

Isabel stretches with one of the moms and some kids before the race.

Teachers, parents and kids waiting for the start of the race.

We had to do 2 miles.  Eight laps around the field equaled 2 miles.  Every time we did a loop, we received a Popsicle stick to keep track of how many we had done.  When you collected 8, you were done.  Isabel took off with a group of kids.  Here she is, half a lap ahead of me.  I started walking fast and did run a little bit when Isabel ran past me again.  Not too much, but I ran a bit.  Eventually, I ended up walking and talking with Isabel's second grade teacher from last year, with whom I realized I had a lot in common. We had a good time fast-walking around.

Somehow,  I lapped Isabel, so when her 2nd grade teacher and I got stick # 8, she was only on #7, so she booked it around one more time.  She was not the last, mind you. There was a large group way behind her (can't even see them in the picture below)  still needing to finish their final lap as well.

Go Izzy! Go Izzy!

After the run, we got some water, bananas and bagels with cream cheese from the school.  Yum!  It was not really a fund-raiser, it was more of a "be healthy with your family" day and I am very glad she and I participated.

We quickly hopped in the Jeep and headed home, only 1.5 miles away, so I could shower, change and head back to the women's retreat from 9:30 - 2 p.m. at the church.

We had a nice breakfast and lunch provided for us, including the desserts I provided.

It was a really good way to meet new women, read the Word and learn from others' experiences. 

By the time I got home, I was exhausted and my left knee was angry with me for the attempted running I did with Isabel.  I took some pain reliever and spent the rest of the afternoon reading and watching t.v.

Dean's List

Dean's List at Stetson?

Yea. He's on it.

Congrats Jake on making the Dean's List with your straight A's and 3.905 GPA.

Digital Arts Project

This was a fun thing I helped Jacob with for his digital arts class last night.

VERY short video that had to be done with pictures; it had to be a minimum of 120 pictures.  He took over 140 pictures and it took over an hour to do.  I was sweating like a pig with all the lights on and no ceiling fan.  The part with the blanket was TORTURE.  I was suffocating.  Too bad I moved too much. My bad for his project.  Focus on the characters, not me.  :)

Class of 2016 Picture

Parents and Letting Go...a little...kinda

So, parents of biguns.; HOW do you not freak out every time they get in the car to go somewhere alone in their vehicle?

Anyone have tips, advice, Valium, something?  Jake really had no interest in driving at all. He had friends or us to chauffeur him around.   He got his Learner's at 16, not 15, and his real license last week; he's 18.  He's been driving by himself for a week.

Monday I had a minor freak-out.  He's at the University and tells me he's coming by my office.  In the rains left from Tropical Storm Issac. On a major Interstate.  By himself for the first time.

Over an hour later, and he's not there nor answering his phone, which is a good thing. He won't answer his phone while driving.  I don't like to and he follows my lead.

But by this time, I am in a panic and trying not to show it at work. My one co-workers knows me and knows something is wrong.  I tell him what's the worry and he reassures me.

An hour and a half after I think he should arrive, he calls.  "Oh, yea mom.  I forgot I had a class at 2. Why are you crying, silly?"

UGH.  Cause I am a dork.

Cause you're still a baby in the sink and the cutest kid on the planet.



Cause you're still 8 and loving Cub Scouts with your mom.


Cause you're 13 and still fun to hang round.


Cause you're 17 and don't mind that I chaperone all your field trips.









 Cause you're 18 and know I am your biggest fan.


That's why I cry, silly.

Back to School Thrifty Mom

Well, you all know Jacob started back to school, but so did Isabel a few days after he did.

During the early part of her summer, we came across an awesome backpack in the clearance rack.  Total cost: $7. She fell in love and I went ahead and got it for her.



CUTE!

We also always get school supply lists from the school.  I have learned to never buy supplies based off the school's generic lists.   These lists are separated by grade, so every 3rd grader buys the same thing, except when classes start, the teachers send out their own lists.  After getting burned several years with supplies they never used, I send my kids (Isabel now) to school with a pencil box full of scissors, pencils, paper, erasers, glue, crayons and markers.  When school then starts and I get the list back from the teacher, then I buy what her specific teacher needs.

Total spent on school supplies (not counting clothing/shoes):  $5.49 for supplies and the $7 backpack.

Why?  Because I keep everything year over year.  Isabel has used the same scissors 3 years in a row.  Guess what?  They were Jake's when he was in 1st grade.  He's a freshman in college.  :)  This woman knows how to save.  Her pencil box was the one she got in Kindergarten.  Her folders were all new folders that were never used and returned home from previous years.  Her pencils were pencils we've had since forever.  We have a drawer full of them.  I sharpened a bunch and put them in her pencil box.

The $5.49 was spent on loose leaf paper, index cards, 3 more glue sticks (to add to the 3 she brought back with her at the end of the year last year) and three notebooks.  Her teacher also asked for a spiral bound notebook.  I went into Jacob's room and asked if he had any left over from senior year.  He had two with barely any pages used so I ripped out the pages and put that in her backpack.

Her crayons are the ones from last school year; never used.  Still look brand new.  They never used them, or if they did, she used communal crayons and came home the last day of school with her box of crayons intact.  Markers?  From last year, all intact, hardly used.

Her lunch box is the same as last year; she loves it because it's pink and has kitties, so we're good.   I bought her zero new clothes.  The girl has SO MUCH CLOTHES from my family spoiling her that she does not need anything.  The only thing we got her new were sneakers for $30 + tax.  Nike's for $30, on sale and with a 20% coupon from Kohl's.  She ruined her old sneakers playing in the water at the family reunion.  They are now her "outside play" sneakers.  When the neighbor boy comes over to ask her to play, I yell "put on your old sneakers, not the new ones!" and she does.

She's in 3rd grade now with a BOY teacher again.  Here's to another successful school year; cheers!