Bring Back the Good Old Days!

I don't consider myself old, by any means.  In fact, I've actually started to embrace my thirty-sixness! When I was a teenager, I vividly remember giving my parents the side eye when they would talk about missing the "good ol' days", but as I get older, I think I know exactly what they were talking about.  Over the three decades that my life has spanned, so many things have changed.  Here are 10 things that I miss the most:

10. Handwritten letters.  I have an old jewelry box that I had when I was a senior in high school.  Inside that box are several handwritten notes from my boyfriend.  Just this week my boyfriend (who is now my husband of 15 years) and I sat and read most of those letters.  It was nice to see someone spend more than 11.5 seconds to send a message to someone.  Bring back those days!



9.  Long telephone conversations. I can remember spending hours on the phone talking to my friends.  No one talks on the phone anymore.  I'm guilty, too!  If I'm not commuting to/from work, I usually can't find the time to engage in telephone conversations that exceed the time needed for a simple question or request.



8. Watching TV with my family.  I used to love sitting with my family watching television.  There was a time, believe it or not, when a child could sit with his parents and watch TV without feeling awkward or tensing up in anticipation of inappropriate content appearing on the screen of what is supposed to be "family" TV.  Bring back those days, please!!



7. Sunday dinners with my family. There was a time when I knew, without question, where I'd be eating after church on Sundays.  My family would get together each Sunday for a delicious meal and some good ole' quality time.  Nowadays, life just has us all pulled in different directions, so it's hard to make a standing appointment to enjoy those days of old.

6.  All-day shopping trips with my mom. I can remember when shopping with mom meant being ready to leave home at 9:00 am and not returning home until about 7:00 pm.  Those were the best times.

5.  Long walks in the summertime.  I grew up in Winterboro, Alabama, a small community in Talladega County.  (Don't bother trying to find it on the map.)  In the summertime, you could easily find my childhood friend and I taking long walks on the country roads, always outside of boundaries  set for us by our parents.

4. Living life without an hour-by-hour schedule. I had a great childhood.  I can remember very vividly having lots of fun with my friends playing games, talking on the phone, traveling, shopping, etc.  But I don't remember having to "schedule" appointments to play. Now, everyone's life is so schedule-driven that having fun must appear on the schedule in order for it to take place.  Bring back the good old days!!

3.  Coffee pot coffee. I begged and pleaded for a Keurig coffee machine, even though my Mr. Coffee coffee maker was working just fine.  I can't lie, most mornings, I have to squeeze in the 90-second wait for the cup of Joe that my Keurig produces.  However, I must also admit that I miss the smell of freshly-brewed coffee creeping through the house from the old-school coffee maker.



2.  Hanging out with my friends. This kind of goes along with #5 and #4.  I miss the days when the biggest decision I had to make was which friend's house I was going to hang out at or which friend I was going to invite over!

1.  Christmas Cards! The number 1 thing that I miss from the good old days is......CHRISTMAS CARDS!  As hard as it is, I make it my business to squeeze in the time to send Christmas cards.  And, I force myself to personally address each envelope.  One of the highlights of the holidays for me is going to my mailbox and receiving holiday greetings from my friends and family. Sadly, each year brings fewer and fewer Christmas cards.  People are simply too busy or have opted for online versions of this holiday tradition.

Take a minute to reflect on some things that you miss post.  Comment below to share the thing that you miss most about the good old days!

Still Thankful...

We are nearing the end of November, which means that we are also nearing the end of the "What I'm Thankful For" social media posts.  I have to admit, I have really enjoyed the positive atmosphere of my news feed over the past few weeks and I'm kind of sad to see it go.  I started out on November 1 posting what I was thankful for, but because life happened, I got off track around day 20.  So, I have decided to dedicate this post to getting back on track and getting ahead with my complete list of what I'm thankful for this month and always:

Day 20:  My relationship with God.  There are some days when holding on to His promises is all that gets me through my day.

Day 21:  My husband.  I've been married for 15 years and I truly believe that my husband and I were meant to be.  We're not perfect, but we are perfect for each other. 

Day 22:  My children.  I have two amazing children and I feel so blessed to be their mother.  

Day 23:  My parents.  I'm pretty blessed in the parents department, too.  

Day 24:  My job.  I work with an amazing team and absolutely love every day of my job.  That is so rare these days.  I am so glad that I was obedient and took a leap of faith to pursue this position. 

Day 25:  My friends.  I have an amazingly supportive friend group.  I wouldn't trade any of them for the world.  

Day 26:  My church family.  I am blessed to be surrounded by a loving church family. 

Day 27:  My neighbors.  I've lived in my neighborhood for nearly 12 years and I can't say that I have a single "neighbor nightmare" story.  

Day 28:  The Hallmark Channel.  Need I say more?  They have the best movies on Hallmark and I am so thankful when I get to sit back, relax, and watch a great movie.  (I'm especially partial to the Christmas movies on Hallmark!)

Day 29:  My house.  I am so thankful that I know exactly where I am going to lay my head every night.  

Day 30:  Samford University.  I am currently working on my administrative certification and my doctorate in educational leadership.  I have the best professors and an amazing cohort who help me keep my sanity while I pursue these degrees.

I love that this month helps people take a moment to stop and focus on the many blessings that are in their lives.  I'm glad to have this documented on the blog so that I can refer back to it as a reminder and as encouragement.

We have two days left in the month and I am going to be checking my news feed to catch a glimpse of the final few "What I'm Thankful For" posts.   See you soon!


  

Stepping Out of the Boat

The comfort zone is a great place to hang out, isn't it?  Doing what you've always done, going where you've always gone, eating what you've always eaten, and wearing what you've always worn is wonderful, right?  It's easy.  Hey, you can't mess up if you stick to what you know!

I'm a stickler for schedules and routines.  As I've told you before, the beloved Cozi app on my phone (and my old fashioned paper calendar) are how I maintain my "I've got it all together" persona.  I'm not much for changing things up.  However, I've recently decided that I'm about to loosen the grip on my calendar and make room from some spontaneity and newness in my life.

Stepping out of the boat is such a bold statement of faith.  When you confine yourself to the norm, you may very well be blocking yourself from the blessings that God has for you.  My challenge to you today is to try something new.  Something different.  Something outside of your normal routine, if you are a routine follower, like me.

Today, I am thankful for the decision to step of out the boat.  I am so excited about what God is going to do in my life because my decision to exercise my faith in Him.  

Developing an Attitude of Gratitude

A few months ago, a very close friend of mine gifted me Joyce Meyer's "The Power of Being Thankful" and for several weeks, I became habitual in thanking God for the many blessings in my life.  I was proud of myself for reading from the book daily and taking the time to focus on the good things in my life.  However, in the hustle and bustle of life, I somehow drifted from that habit and moved to a place where I find myself complaining about more things than I give thanks for. 

 
Today is June 6.  I picked up my devotional this afternoon and found my bookmark nestled between the May 16 and May 17 devotions, which means that the last time I read from the book was one of those days.   I have to admit that I'm a little embarrassed by that.  I could easily blame the final weeks of school, my doctoral coursework, my children's activities, or church activities for this oversight, but that would be way too easy.  Instead, I'm going to make a vow to not let this happen again.

You see, I have way too many things to be thankful for and I am guilty of taking those things for granted.  I want to do better.  I have to do better.  I am going to study today's devotional in hopes of learning what it takes to develop a habit of being thankful. 

What are your tips and suggestions for developing an attitude of gratitude? 

Goodbye 2014

This will be my last blog post of 2014.  I can't believe that it's already time to say goodbye to another year.  Time is definitely on the move!  It's been a year full of many life-changing and memorable events, both good and bad.  Here are some of the highlights of my year:

I completed 21 days of the Daniel Fast:  This was my first year to complete the entire 21 days without cheating.  I felt so accomplished because so much of my life centers around food and usually includes me making poor choices when it comes to food.  Fully participating in the fast taught me that I do have self-control and it caused me to try new, healthy food items that I've been able to incorporate into my daily life.  During this time, I also drank nothing but water, which is a HUGE deal for this self-professed water hater!



I turned 35:  This only seems like a big deal to me because I remember sitting with my friends in high school referring to our 30 something year old teachers as old!  Now, I'm that old teacher.  Only now, I don't think 30 something is old anymore.  Funny how time changes things, huh?
I got up enough courage to apply to graduate school:  Even though I am a three-time college graduate, I was very hesitant to apply to the educational leadership doctoral program at Samford University. Getting my master's and specialist's degrees were taxing and I just didn't think I had what it took to be accepted into a doctoral program.  Thanks to my supportive family and friends and my trust in the Almighty, I finally took the steps needed to apply to grad school and am now well on my way to becoming Dr. Fluker!



I completed my first 5K:  I'm not real proud of my time, but I am so proud of myself for completing the entire race.  This event was a fundraiser and I reluctantly participated simply to be supportive.  But, the feeling of accomplishment that I had once I completed the race is undeniable.  Hopefully, as I work to get back into shape, I won't be embarrassed to post my time for the next 5K that I run!

I could go on and on about all of the things that happened in my life this year.  Some things I want to erase from my memory forever, and some things I never want to forget.  I know for sure that everything that happened, whether good or bad, was purposely planned by the Master.

The ups and downs of life work together to craft me into the person that God wants me to be.  I am thankful for the year that I have had and look forward to what 2015 has in store for me and my family.

Happy New Year!

On Disappointment...again

I posted this a few weeks ago and felt compelled to post it again.  I don't think I was listening the first time, so here it goes again...

Here are my thoughts on disappointment:  It's inevitable.

No big secret, right?  As long as there are human relationships, there will be disappointments.  I've tried every way I know how to avoid disappointment, but it just keeps happening.  Disappointment stems from expectations.  The only way to limit your disappointments is to adjust your expectations. It would be wonderful if we lived in a perfect world.  But, we don't.   So...

Don't expect to win every game.

Don't expect the good guy to always come out on top.

Don't expect the most qualified applicant to get the job.

Don't expect people to keep the promises they make.

Don't expect every relationship to last forever.

Don't expect people to treat you the way that you treat them.

I could go on and on with this list, but I think you get my drift.

Disappointments are going to happen.  But, if you are properly prepared, you can deal with the disappointments much better.   I've learned that the trick is not trying to avoid disappointments (because you obviously can't), but rather learning how to recover from disappointments in a healthy way.  You can't control being disappointed, but you can control how you react to disappointment.  Work to develop a plan to help you bounce back from disappointment in a healthy way that will leave you feeling better and not bitter.  When I figure that plan out, I'll share the secret.

Never Too Busy

My usual response when someone asks me to do something, particularly something I don't really want to do, is this:  "I'm too busy."  It seems like I always have one zillion and one things to do.  But, what am I really doing? Has anyone else ever felt this way?  Sometimes, it's all I can do to keep my head above water.

In the coming months, I will commit to de-cluttering my life.  I am ridding my schedule of the things that don't truly add value to my life. I'll do that right after I get finished grading papers, making lesson plans, checking homework, making cheer plans, checking online class emails, listening to my son say his campaign speech, reminding him to practice his guitar, helping my daughter with her school project, delivering girl scout cookies, scheduling cheer practice, and deciding on fundraisers. 

Who am I kidding?  I love my life and everything in it!  I am thankful to God for allowing me to have a head big enough to wear all the hats that are thrown my way!  I'm never too busy to do the things that make me who I am. 

Couponing: Jumping on the Money-Saving Bandwagon

I was the shopper who breathed hard and rolled my eyes when I ended up in line behind the person with a binder full of coupons. Seriously?? How much money could she really be saving?  But then, my cousin Wiletta opened my eyes to the wonderful and life-changing world of couponing. 

For months, I watched her posted pictures of her shopping hauls.  The captions showed where she was saving $10, $20, $30, $40.  The more she shopped, the more her savings grew.  Then, the day came when she started having shopping trips that cost her $0!  To top that, she's even started having shopping trips where she left the store with money in her pockets...given to her from the store!!! 

Wiletta's most current haul....absolutely FREE!!

That's when I knew that I had to get off my high horse and join in the madness!  So, I've attended my first couponing class and am looking forward to attending more.  I've even gone on a shopping "field trip" with my cousin so that I can get a closer look at what it takes to be a coupon queen.  I won't lie,   it's not easy, and it takes a lot of planning.  But, when I look at how much money I can potentially save, I'm willing to give it a try. 

I'll be giving you updates from time to time to let you know how my coupon journey is coming along.  If you have any tips or tricks to help me get started, please share them in the comment section.  I'll do the same.  Taking one step at a time, I am committed to saving more money on my grocery bill in 2014! 

Purex Giveaway Winners Announced!

Thank you all so much for entering the Purex Bright Washes Bright Wishes giveaway on my blog!  I had so much fun hosting my first giveaway and welcoming new visitors to my blog!  The winners of the Purex prize are…….^insert drumroll here^

• Desiree Hooper
• David Lintz
• Ciji Mosley

Congratulations!  I have sent emails to the winners.  Please be sure to reply so that I can mail you your prize!

Prizes were provided by Purex.

Thursday Thawing

Today is Thursday.  But the events of the day can't be found on my Cozi calendar.  This is not a typical day.  Today, many businesses are closed.  Additionally, several schools are closed across the state of Alabama.  You see, Tuesday, the South was taken by surprise when a huge winter storm came our way.  What was forecast as a "light" dusting of snow turned out to be what so many have deemed, the Snowpocalypse.

Hundreds of motorists were stuck in their cars overnight as they frantically raced to pick up loved ones from schools, daycares, and other locations.  One of my friends spent the night in her car because what started out as a routine drive home from work quickly transformed into an unsolicited invitation to a gridlocked interstate.  And, two days later, some people are still waiting to wake up from this nightmare. 

Instead of pointing fingers, as so many people have chosen to do.  I instead want to take a moment to thank God for keeping my friends and family safe.  I spent much of Tuesday and Wednesday calling and texting to check on friends and family members. Despite their circumstances, everyone I talked to was in good spirits.  I am thankful to be surrounded by such positive people of faith. 

Now that I know that everyone is safe, warm, and reconnected with their loved ones, I can now look out on the white blanket of snow that covers my lawn and smile.  It's not very often that we see snow here in Alabama! 

Purex Bright Washes Bright Wishes Giveaway

Purex Laundry Detergent provided me with Purex coupons in exchange for sharing the Purex Make-A-Wish Campaign.  However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.  

Diva on the Run is joining Purex in their support of Make-A-Wish!

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions in an effort to give them renewed strength as they fight their illnesses.  Make-A-Wish is a leading children's charity that serves children in every community in the United States.

For the month of February, Purex will be donating a portion of the proceeds from the sell of each 75 oz+ bottle of Purex liquid detergent and Fabric Softener to Make-A-Wish.  Learn more about Purex's efforts here.

Three (3) lucky Diva on the Run followers have a chance to win a coupon for a FREE bottle of the new Purex Mountain Breeze detergent with Dirt Lift Action!  Enter below! Winner will be announced February 2, 2014 on this blog and on my Facebook page.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Throwback Thursday: Vacation Edition

Gros Piton and Petit Piton. Ahhh... I still remember those words being uttered from our shuttle driver's mouth back in October of 2005.  Nearly nine years later, I can still say, without a doubt, that our anniversary trip to St. Lucia was absolutely the best vacation ever!

For our fifth anniversary, the hubs and I visited the lovely island of St. Lucia and stayed at the beautiful all-inclusive, couples-only Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort. I enjoyed the resort very much and was so thrilled that we were able to take advantage of the amenities at all three Sandals resorts on the island!

This was our first all-inclusive vacation and we enjoyed being able to eat, drink, and be entertained without having to worry about cost.  (At least not while we were there, anyway.)  In addition to the lovely beaches, there were nightly activities ranging from outdoor games and contests to karaoke and comedians.  Other than the delicious food, my favorite thing would have to be the couples massages that we received!  (The ONLY time that I've been able to get my husband to agree to going to the spa.)  We really had a wonderful time on our St. Lucia vacation.  I definitely recommend Sandals for any couple looking for an incredible getaway!


This post makes me want to contact my travel agent...

Friday Five...Except It's Really Saturday!

It's Friday Saturday!  You know what that means?  I'm linking up with The Sowell Life to recap the highlights of my week!



This late post is pretty indicative of how my week has been.  I feel like I've been one beat behind everyone else all week long.  The craziness of last week (school delays, canceled events, etc.) has caused me to be a bit off kilter, and unfortunately, I don't see an end in site.  At least not at the moment.  Next week, the students are off Monday (intended emphasis on students), so yet again, it won't be a normal week.  So, my Getting Back to Normal post from last week is pretty much null and void.  At least temporarily, anyway. 

I know it sounds like I'm complaining, but I'm really not.  Even amidst mayhem, it was still a great week.

1.  7th Grade Basketball Season Ended
This was my son's first year playing school basketball.  It has been quite an adventure.  He's been playing basketball since he was four.  I have loved watching him transition from baby boy to young man on the court.  I'm definitely his biggest fan!

2.  No Fast Food All Week
Anyone who knows me knows that this is a HUGE deal!  Our schedules are so busy that we turn to fast food for dinner at least 3 times a week.  Well, this week, I proudly profess that we have not donned the drive-thru window once this week!

3.  Getting in Bed by 10
I'm usually up until the wee hours of the night.  I'm always the last one to go to bed at night and the first one to rise in the mornings.  The tables have turned this week.  I'm pretty sure that I've been in bed, laptop closed and all, by 10:00 p.m. (give or take a few minutes) each night this week.


4.  End of My First Year as Cheer Coach at DJHS
Thursday night marked the end of my first year as DJHS Cheer Coach.  It's been an amazing year.  I've watched 16 girls become closer friends, more responsible young ladies, and overall better cheerleaders over the past 6 months. 

5.  Teaching Online Creative Writing Class
Teaching is what I was born to do.  I've accepted that.  I guess it's a good thing that I love doing it, huh?  Well, I found out last week that I'd be teaching an online Creative Writing class.  Of course, I'm very excited to be combining two of my loves:  teaching and technology!

My Top 10 Guilty Pleasures

 If Loving You is Wrong, I Don't Want to Be Right... (Good thing you can't hear me through the computer because I was using my loudest Luther Ingram voice!)  Do you remember that song?  Anyway, I can subtly hear it playing in the background when I think of my most favorite guilty pleasures.  Here is a list of things that make me super happy, even though I'm sometimes a bit embarrassed to admit it! (This list is in no particular order.  They all make me equally happy!)

1.  Cheesecake Factory Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake

 

2.  Cheesecake Factory Dutch Apple Caramel Streusel Cheesecake

 

3.  Mexican Food

 

4.  My laptop

photo taken from www.amazon.com

5.  My iPhone 5s



6.  My Clarisonic

photo taken from www.myimagejourney.com

7.  Anything Boyz II Men sang in the 90s



8.  Diet Coke

 


9.  Sour Patch Kids


10. Philosophy products
 

What are your guilty pleasures?

Getting Back to Normal

Tomorrow is my first "regular" day of work since December 19, 2013.  School dismissed early on December 20 to kick off the holiday break.  Teachers returned on January 2 and 3 for Professional Development days.  Then, due to extremely cold weather (for Alabama, at least) school was delayed two hours each day on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  As I sat down to type this post, I received the dreaded telephone reminder that we would resume our regular schedule on Thursday morning. So long, pillow.  I've enjoyed holding onto you for an extra hour for the past three mornings.

While I have thoroughly enjoyed the extended break, I am ready to regain some normalcy in my schedule.   You see, I depend heavily on my Cozi app to keep me on track.   So, weeks like this really get me confused.  What day is today?  Do you have dance?  Have I posted my lesson plans?  How many games do you have this week?  Was that meeting today? Didn't I already send the money for that field trip?  It's been absolutely insane trying to keep up with the day's schedule, but I've managed.

Nonetheless, I'm standing with my arms wide open.  Ready to welcome "normal" back into my life.

Don't Forget to Be Kind

These days, it seems that everyone is so concerned about themselves.  We have become such a self-absorbed people, focusing only on what we can personally benefit from.  The brotherly love and genuine concern for others that was so characteristic of people long ago seem almost extinct. 

As a teacher, I stand in the halls and watch students accidentally bump into each other and never stop to say, "excuse me", even if that bump results in one or both parties dropping their books or other belongings onto the floor.  Similarly, I watch people walk into buildings and fail to hold the door open for the person entering directly behind them.  What happened to good ole' kindess?  Is it gone?

Nope!  It's not.  Just today, I was dining with three of my teacher friends at a local restaurant. (Today was teacher inservice--one of the very few and highly coveted days for teachers to bust out from the school lunchroom and have "regular people" lunch.) As we were sitting there dining, a young couple entered with their infant baby and we all drooled over the beautiful baby.

The dad was extremely proud and kept engaging in conversation with us about his new bundle of joy.  Long story short, when we finished our lunch and went to pay for our meal, I noticed my colleague whispering to the cashier.  I finally figured out that she was paying for that family's meal.  When we got in the car, I asked and she confirmed that she indeed paid for their meal.  I'm embarrassed to admit that my initial response was, "why?"  Have I become one of the heartless people who inspired this blog post?

Anyway, this one tiny act of kindness inspired me to work harder to be kind to others.  I don't make New Year's Resolutions, but if I did, being kinder to others would definitely be on my list.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Diva on the Run!  Wishing you and your family a prosperous year full of many amazing blessings!  I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for all of us!

Friday Five

It's time again for the Friday Five linkup with Joy over at The Sowell Life!  

It's official!  I have survived the first half of the 2013-2014 school year!  Woohoo!! It seems like only yesterday that I sadly relinquished my summer break and succumbed to teaching a rowdy bunch of energetic eleventh graders.  It's been a very exciting year and I'm honestly looking forward to a great second half--that is, after I finish relaxing and celebrating with my beloved family.

Here's my week in review:

1.  Christmas Parties.  'Tis the season!  I have thoroughly enjoyed the food, the friends, and the fun that go along with Christmas parties.  (Did I mention how much I loved the food?)  Just this week alone, I had the following Christmas parties on the docket:  Dirty Santa Earring Exchange for dance, Dirty Santa accessory party with my sweet cheerleaders, Studio Starrz Christmas Party, Delta Kappa Gamma Christmas party, Men's Fellowship gift exchange (for my husband and son, of course), and the Christmas Munch-a-thon and Dirty Santa at work.  (Now you see why I'm so excited about Christmas break?  This mama needs some rest!)

DJHS Cheerleaders Christmas Party

2.  Ever changing Christmas lists.  My son is really good about making a list and leaving it at that.  My daughter, on the other hand, needs a little work in that department.  Since November, when the first Christmas list crossed my desk, the princess has changed her list about 72 times!  I know that it's a girl's prerogative to change her mind, but seriously?  No more changes can be made to the Christmas list at this time!  Santa already has his elves busy and they can't be interrupted.

3.  Family time.  I'm so excited to be able to pump the brakes for a minute and just spend some time with my husband and children.

 4. Friendship.  I have been blessed with the best friends on the planet!  I am thankful each day for relationships with women whom I admire and who help encourage me to be a better me. 

5.  Christmas Break.  Oh, did I already mention that?  Sorry.  That's just how excited I am about it!  I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday and that all of your dreams come true!

Still haven't finished this tree, but at least I have one up now!

Happy Holidays!

Busy Mom Probs

I like to pretend that I have it all together most of the time.  But the truth is, I don't. And, I'm not even close to having it all together!  (Shocker, right?)  But, the great thing about life is that we get a chance to try to get it right over, and over, and over again.  Here is a list of things that I'm currently working on.  I'm going to affectionately call it my "Busy Mom Probs" list.

1.  We're within two weeks of Christmas, and there is STILL no Christmas tree up at my house.  I feel confident, however, that I'll be able to scratch this prob off my list soon.  I've been whining to the hubs pretty frequently for the past few days.  Based on prior experience, I have about 2 more nag sessions standing between me and the Christmas tree.  (This is also on my short people probs list as the tree is stored on a high shelf in the storage closet.  Else, I'd already be trimming the tree instead of blogging right now!) I guess I should be thankful for Christmas potpourri.  It's the closest thing to Christmas in my house right now.    #busymomprobs

2.  My kids have been giving me the blues this week.  I've finally convinced them that they're old enough to make their own lunches.  This is mainly because I want to get some extra sleep in the mornings teach them some responsibility.  Anyhow, because of our schedules, I haven't been to the grocery store to stock up on lunch items.  Apparently, the subpar pickings found in our cupboards will no longer suffice as my oldest (who is a growing boy) informed me that he had to take a cheese sandwich and saltine crackers for lunch.  My daughter let me know that she'd resulted to trading original Sun Chips and granola bars for Cheetos and brownies at the daily lunch swap at school.  I'm guessing that this is my cue to visit my neighborhood Publix pretty soon.  #busymomprobs

3.  I checked my home phone messages today and realized that the orthodontist's office had left several messages about the appointment that we missed two weeks ago.  The message said that I needed to contact them as soon as possible to reschedule the missed appointment.  Because I was a week later calling them back (mainly because I rarely check my home phone messages), I now have to wait until mid January to get another appointment.  Ugh. #busymomprobs

4.  Because of my obsessive need to hug the pillow a "few" minutes longer than what my 5:00 alarm would have me, I've sacrificed hair and makeup for about two weeks.  Admittedly, I've been a wreck up from the neck up here lately!  Well, I finally decided to stop looking like I'm auditioning for a role in The Walking Dead and fix my hair and do my make up.  Every day this week, my students have been walking in my room handing out compliments galore.  Do I really look that bad without my hair and make up done?  Or, is it that close to the end of the semester that they will resort to any means necessary to get their grades up? Hmmmm... #busymomprobs

Well, I guess I'll stop there with my list for this week.  I'm on the verge of having to add overflowing laundry and sink full of dishes to the list!

Thanksgiving Break 2013

Thanksgiving Break 2013 has officially come and gone and it was, indeed, everything I anticipated it being!  Here's a rundown of what my Thanksgiving beak consisted of:

Wednesday, November 27:  On Wednesday, I spent the day cooking.  Twice a year, I pull out Occasions to Savor, one of my favorite cookbooks, to get recipes for my favorite holiday dishes. This year, I made the marinated vegetable salad and cranberry mold to go along with my smoked ham, dressing, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, sweet potato casserole, and apple pie. 

Later that day, I went over to my mother's to spend some time with her and my aunts and cousins since I wouldn't be joining them for Thanksgiving this year. I had a really good time laughing and talking with my cousins as my mom and aunts did the prep work for the family's annual feast.  It was a great afternoon!

That evening, I came home and served dinner to my husband and children.  We sat down to the table (with no television playing in the background) and had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.  I think we may have just started a new family tradition.  Dinner in our home with just us on Thanksgiving Eve. 
It was nice to have an intimate dinner with just us. 

Thursday, November 28:  On Thursday, we drove down to Montgomery and spent the day with our cousins.  The kids and I attended our very first Alabama State University football game!  (Not a new experience for the hubs.) It was an awesome experience! This year's Turkey Day Classic, the name given to this annual Thanksgiving Day game, was everything the hype had promised.  The energy from the bands, the intense rivalry amongst the fans, the deeply rooted pride displayed by students and alumni, and the overall atmosphere all worked together to create an experience that I will remember forever. 

After the game, our aunt and uncle played hosts to a marvelous Thanksgiving meal: smoked turkey and ham, dressing, collards, baked sweet potatoes, apple pie, pound cake, and an assortment of pickles and relishes.  I tell you, the food was absolutely amazing!  And, we were able to spend some time with family that we hadn't seen in a while.  Thanksgiving Day 2013 will go down in the books as one of my most memorable.

Friday, November 29:  Unlike several other people in the nation, I opt NOT to partake in the Black Friday madness.  It's just not my thing.  Besides, I needed the sleep after the two previous days.  I usually take out the Christmas decorations on the day after Thanksgiving, but I honestly didn't even have the energy to do that, either.  Instead, I opted to do a few errands around town and clean house. 

Saturday, November 30:  Iron Bowl LXXVIII was one for the history books!! In case you've been living under a rock, the Iron Bowl is the football game played between Alabama's two largest public universities:  Auburn University (my alma mater) and the University of Alabama.  We made the trek to Auburn bright and early Saturday morning and spent the day on the Loveliest Village on the Plains (as Auburn is so affectionately known).  The game was exhilarating and each team fought to the end.  To many people's surprise, Auburn pulled out a victory that will be talked about for the next 364 days.

Auburn fans storming the field after Auburn's big win!

 After the game, we rushed to Toomer's Corner to celebrate in Auburn's unique way of rolling Toomer's Corner with toilet tissue.  This was the children's first time rolling the corner and they were completely in awe of the magnitude of this age-old traditional celebration!  I am so glad that my children were able to witness Auburn's victory.  They enjoyed every minute of it!  

Sunday, December 1:  The day we set aside to worship our Lord and Savior.  We went to church and enjoyed worshiping and fellowshipping with our church family.  After church, I vowed that would come home and REST, and that is exactly what I did!  I spent the afternoon traveling back and forth from the bed to the couch getting the best naps ever!  Now, maybe I'll be rejuvenated enough to start my week of right! 

All in all, Thanksgiving Break 2013 was a huge success!  Now, I'm ready to go back to work, so that I can get some rest from my break!