Hello there May

WOW - it's May - like the 5th month of the year and the last month of the school year. You know, I knew forever that I should be a school teacher because I've never really gotten away from my 'year' being a school year. I've always based my concept of time and the calendar on the school year. Strange? Possibly, but hey, this is me we're talking about.

So since the school year is winding down to an end I'll probably have more free time. Most teachers don't miss this close to the end of the school year since there is so much they have to do. My long term position ends in just 6 short hours. I'm excited so have some free time to myself, to not have to get up quite as early - and to be all alone at home. I haven't been home alone since we moved except for one night when Cole spent the night with Grammy and Granddaddy and then the morning I left for Nashville. I'm so used to having some time alone that I think I've been pretty grouchy lately when it comes to getting things done. I'd rather just ignore the laundry and sit in my sitting room and read - all by myself!! And the sackers at Publix must think I'm rude - I never let them help me out with my groceries. Sometimes those five minutes are the last ones I'll have alone for days - so it's ok that I do it myself. Am I the only person who longs for time alone? I hope not. I hope someone gets this and doesn't think I'm just selfish and want to be by myself all the time - I don't - not all the time. But occasionally it's nice to just go get your nails done with your son and his Nintendo DS.

Speaking on Nintendo DS - Cole was grounded from his last night because he stuck his tongue out at me and made an ugly face in the grocery store because I wouldn't let him look at the toys. I told him if he did it again, he'd get a spanking right in the middle of the store. The bad things is there were two teachers from the school in the store - one on the next aisle - so when Cole did it again I just felt like I couldn't pick him up out of the buggy and spank him in public. I really did not think he would do it again. He usually doesn't repeat behavior he gets in trouble for. He said to me - I was only doing this (insert the exact same face again) and I guess he thought it was ok to do it again that way. It wasn't. So instead of him getting spanked on the bread aisle - I told him we weren't baking the cookies he picked out and he couldnt' play on his DS tonight. This works much better than a spanking. He's been known to say "I'll just do it myself" and spat himself on the bottom any time we mention a spanking. Usually that's all we have to do is mention it and he's ok. But take away the DS and he's beside himself. He apologized 20 times and promised he would never ever do it again and that was while we were still on the bread aisle. He continued this at home last night. When he saw the neighbor kids out playing he wanted to go ride his bike and talk to them. We hated to say no because he hates riding his bike and since he actually wanted to do it - that meant something. But we stuck with it and said no since he'd been ugly to me. He stood in his room and watched out the window - even knocking to see if the kids would hear him and look up at his window. AWWWW - but still - he made ugly faces and he has to learn that's not a good decision. Maybe this weekend he'll get to ride his bike - if it isn't raining the entire time.

I hate when it rains and I'm going scrapbooking - I don't want to risk any of my things getting wet!!! But tonight, I'm going to scrapbook at Scrap Etc. - tomorrow is National Scrapbook Day. So I'm hoping to get a layout or two done and really work on some of the things from the event, work on my wedding album (8 years later) and a few other fun things. I'm going to do an altered project because I'm thinking about trying out for a design team and want to have a cool new project to use as my entry. I'm excited about that. I've been on one design team before. It was the for the store in Mobile, but the store had already closed. We have kept the message boards up and running and were trying this whole online community thing but it's really just remained a place where the girls from the store still chat and post their layouts, etc. We tried challenges and stuff like that, but everyone involved was so busy with real life that our Design Team is sort of non-existent in a way. And since I'm not there anymore, I don't get to see them anyway :( So, I'm trying for this other Design Team. I really love their online community and am loving the girls there and seeing all their layouts has been inspirational to me. I've never tried out for a Design Team like this - so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll make it. I would be so very excited!!!

In other news, I'm having some serious Edward/Bella withdrawals. If you don't know what I'm talking about - walk NO RUN to your nearest bookstore/target/walmart and find the book Twilight. It's fabulous. It's written by Stephenie Meyer and it's a young adult story. Don't let that fool you - don't think oh I'm a grown adult, not a young adult - it's a wonderfully written story - drags you in so that you have to read it - you can't wait until tomorrow to read more - you have to know right this very minute what will happen next. Well, I've read all three books in the series - Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. I checked them out from the library the first time but love them so much I'm re-reading them and just buying them so I'll have them forever. Here's the background - small town community, daughter of the police chief moves in with him because her mom got remarried and is on the road, she starts to get to know people in the high school and is drawn to this guy (isn't this how it always happens??). Well it turns out that they fall for each other - but he's a (wait for it...........) VAMPIRE!!! Yes, you read it here (but also on the book cover so I'm not giving anything away here). She has another guy friend who tries to warn her to stay away from the vampire. Do you think she listens? hmmmm Well that's all I'm giving away here - but just know that they are the best books I've read since Harry Potter - seriously. I'm hoping to run in Barnes and Noble this evening and get the second book so I can re-read it, too. These books are wildly popular. The fourth and sadly final book will be out in 91 days, 14 hours, and 37 minutes. I feel as though the release of that book will be similar to the late night celebrations at Barnes and Noble when HP is released. At least I hope it'll be like that. I would love to go if it is. There's a website that has tshirts for the characters - they are so cool. I'm thinking of making my own though - I'm not sure yet. I would love one. I love the story so much, I want to wear it on my shirt - and spread the Twilight LOVE. We're even doing a ATC swap at Scrap Etc for the first book.

Ok Ok - enough rambling from me huh? So this weekend its supposed to rain - we had plans for Alabama Adventure, but now I think Jason and Cole are going to the pool at UAB to swim. Cole loves it and has been asking if he can go back every weekend, pretty much. Jason is officially out of school so things can get a little more normal at home. OH - we've sat down at the dining room table and had dinner together four nights in a row. Seriously - isn't that wonderful. This never happens and Cole didn't really know what to think. But it's something that will happen until August at least when Jason goes back to school. Oh that's sad - I'm going to love having him home every night and hate it when he goes back to leaving us!! Oh well, it's all in the name of higher education. Speaking of higher education - my brother in law graduates from college (again) this next weekend. He's just finished his MBA so we're heading to Mobile next Friday for his graduation. Fun times!!! I'm very proud of him for sticking with it - I know it's hard work. It'll be fun to get to celebrate with them. It's Mother's Day weekend too - I don't think my mom realizes that we won't be here for Mother's day - and that stinks. I hate to not see her on Mother's Day. And Jason and his brother have already planned a golf game for the day - that's not traditionally how things go on Mother's Day. He'll owe me for that. Maybe me and Jamie can get away and go to the movies or something while the boys do their thing. We've been to the movies on Mother's Day a couple of times I think - at least once and we all went - Grandma, Maw Maw, Jamie, me and Amanda. And we saw Monster-in-law - fun way to spend Mother's Day huh? It was really funny!

Ok - so seriously, now I'm done rambling - I guess.
later, lisa