Happy 2006!!

I hope each and every one of you has a wonderful new year's eve and a great start to the new year. I know this year can only get better from here.

Peace out....

Year in review

It has been a wild year for me.

• Hubby left the school we taught at together (damn principal assholes) and has found a place that he is happy with.
• I was made department head and have a great team that I hope never to lose as friends even when we all scatter at the end of the year to new schools
• I lost my second parent (of his choosing). Which by the way....I did confront him shortly before Christmas and have learned that I am the one leading all of my sisters astray. I have also been told that he knows it was me that said "Fuck Dad" when he wrote the awful letter to us about how we should consider him dead and spending the holidays with us would make him vomit and we didn't respond (not responding was my fault). Oh well. It is kind of cool knowing I am the root of all evil :-)
• I gained another dog.....My sweet Wink. Hubby says NO MORE and I think he is right, two cats, two greys and the soon to be 15 year old Princess PITA is enough in one house.
• I started my own Mary Kay business at the end of this year. We will see if it helps or hurts us on taxes. Tomorrow I have to take an inventory of everything I have and I have to write down the mileage on my Explorer before we use it for any trips for MK. I am told this is a great tax write off, we will see.
• I have gotten to know my neighbors even better this year. Wow, who would have thought that you could share some of the information like we have with one another over this year. Between their nasty break up and shaky make up, to them being back together it has been a roller coaster. I love them both. Besides the piercing I saw last night was pretty cool. Thinking of getting one of those myself........Maybe.
• I got a tattoo.
• I finally got my hot pink highlights (and right now they are REALLY pink!!!)
• I started weight watchers and have dropped 62 pounds.
• For all the negative this year (and I knew when I turned 30 it was going to blow) I think 2005 has been pretty good to me.

Resolutions

• I will stay the course with WWs and keep seeing success on the scale
• I will not let family mess get me down too much. (I hope)
• I will try to keep in touch with my cousins more (we reconnected again over Christmas and I now have all of their cell numbers).
• I will continue Sunday morning breakfasts with my sister because she is the best in the world and I love her so much
• I will get another tattoo, just not sure where, before the end of 2006 (I hope, I hope, I hope)

My Boys

I don't think I have shared pictures of them before, but in early December I took them both to get their pictures taken with Santa. My greyhound association does this every year and the boys are so darn cute I just had to put them out here before December got away from me.

This is Dagwood, my six year old greyhound:

And this is Wink (he will be 3 soon), my baby, who was suppose to be our foster dog over the summer and I fell head over heels in love with him and had to have him.....So he is mine:

Just thought I would share pics of my boys with you. I am sure you will see more as time goes on.

Christmas Gifts

Ok....One more quickie before bed.........

Hubby got me this really cool thing for Christmas. It is a humidifier, but it does it through creating a fog. I swear it is like a fog machine and on top is a glass ball (thing is heavy) and it rolls around while the thing changes colors. It is a trip and I LOVE IT. Plus, knowing my obsession with pens (don't ask, I don't know where it comes from) he got me some great pens for my stocking (it was fun doing stockings for everyone this year). Anyway, here is a pic of the cool fog thing he got me:

I got him a new wedding band. I refuse to allow him to have the size 14 band resized, I wear it on a gold chain now (it is my precious). Anyway....His new ring I even got engraved, and those that know us will understand the engraving.....It says "Yang to my Yin". It is so nice to see that little gold band back on his finger. He has done so well losing weight and deserved a new band, besides he says I can't tattoo married to his forehead LOL......

Ok....I am OUT!!!

This one time at band camp....

On Monday hubby and I got a wonderful deal. We were given the chance to promote the new American Pie movie Band Camp at one of the area malls here in Texas. It was a good gig, we were paid to stand around, drum up a crowd, monitor four pie eating contests, four bandie contests (two people had to play three instruments and the crowd decided to who was the best) and give out DVDs for free all day. It was a blast.

The best part for me was meeting one of the guys who starred in the movie, Matt Barr. He is adorable and I hope Hollywood doesn't change him. He is a local, from Allen, Texas and told us his agent in LA called him and told him what we were up to and he came out. He wasn't paid for the appearance or anything, but it was awesome. I got pics taken with him and I got my poster and my DVD signed. His dad was sweet enough to send me the pics last night when they got home. How great is that?!? I can't wait to share them with the staff at school on Monday. I think I had one hell of a Christmas break :-) {Forgot to mention....This movie is FUNNY!!! It is in true American Pie tradition, so if you know the series you will want to see this and Matt says the Unrated version has all of the really good stuff in the extras, I need to get that one just to see what he is talking about LOL}

We also had 97.9 the Beat out there during the event....And here is what Wild Card told me, I can't be just a "G" any more, I need to be an "OG" and I am to tell that to my students from now on. For those of you that need to ask.....Go ahead and I will explain LOL. :-) Anyway....These guys did a WONDERFUL job at getting the crowd goings :-)!! Thank you to the Beat for being out there and helping us out.

I got to bring home a few sets of DVDs that we have left and gave a few to friends and family. I have one set I am waiting to send off to someone serving for us over seas. I hope to get the info soon so I can ship it off.

So.....Does any bandie/band geek out there have any good "One time at band camp" stories?? I wasn't a bandie myself. I was in the drill team, but some of my best buds were bandies and they were wonderful. Lots of love to the band geeks out there.......

Ok, it is nearly 2am and I think I need a break from the Mary Kay mess and maybe even a little sleep.....Peace out my peeps *snicker*

Merry Christmas Peeps!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Chritmas day!!! {{{{{GREAT BIG Christmas HUGS to all}}}}}

Christmas Party Cont.

Ok, so I said I would eventually post about this so here we go.

I wanted to wait until our party with my school was done before I wrote about it all because I had to compare the two.

Hubby's school party and the events that happened:

1. The principal sang karaoke.
2. Three of the hotties in the school (teachers) sang Don't Cha, you know Don't Cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me, while grinding on stage and rubbing all over each other.
3. A teacher and her date snuck off to the women's restroom and had to leave when another staff member went in, so they just moved into the men's. We kept one of the men from going in until they were done with whatever they were up to. Of course this teacher was a bridesmaid in my wedding and kept talking about how beautiful I have become and then tells her date how I had a breast reduction like she did and how beautiful my breasts are......Oh the joy of drunk friends.
4. Another drunk teacher got on stage and sang "I Touch Myself" and did a lot of touching herself while singing.
5. Lastly....Many teachers were out of the floor grinding one another (male to female and LOTS of female on female) and this was one of the pictures caught in one of those dance sessions:

And David M let me know this is not a thong, but a T-back, my knowledge is limited in this area since I have only recently started buying this type of thing for myself since I am feeling sooooo great about how I look (more on that in another post).

Now my party:

1. Mostly people off in there own groups talking (a lot about school stuff)
2. There was the bottle exchange that has some great moments:
3. A bottle shattering on the floor....I had a spare in the car and brought it in to replace the one shattered (you know it is always good to keep booze in the vehicle, you never know when you will need it)
4. And there was some glass rooster with peppers in it and there were some awesome comments about it......Once it had been stolen 3 times, the comment was "The Cock is Dead", LOVED that. Then the person with the rooster had laid it on its side so it wouldn't fall of the chair. It was my time to steal and a teacher next to me says "Remember the cock is dead and besides it is limp, that would be no fun". I thought I was going to die laughing and NO one heard it but me LOL.
5. Lastly....I know that I have a kindred spirit in the school, before the bottle exchange started he and I were talking about things we had thought about bringing....Ended up we had both thought that KY would have been hilarious to put into the mix LOL.....I was going to get the one with warming action as I thought that might make someone's night a little more pleasant.

I still think hubby's parties are cooler and I want to take the cool kids from my school to one of hubby's parties so they can have fun too.

Plans

I know why Princess PITA and hubby never get along, yet they won't listen to me. This morning was a prime example.

Yes it is 12:45 pm and I have been up a total of 20 minutes and only working on my second cup of coffee. I am only awake because a Mary Kay customer called to let me know she would be in town and could she come by and pick up her order. UGH.....

Right after I get out of bed, PITA asks, "what is the plan today?" (Well many answers went through my head, but I picked the nicest one) I don't know.

Then hubby comes home (sweet man). He has already been to a friend's house to drop off a present, the credit union to get money and out to the Mary Kay distribution center to pick up my latest order of products for customers. (Did I mention he is a morning person?) So he sits down in the office across from me (our desks are back to back to make it easier to talk to each other while we are online) and asks "What's the plan for the day?" WHAT THE HELL IS IT WITH THESE TWO AND PLANS!!!

Ok, I am the kind of person that needs no plan of attack. I just go out in the world and see what happens. I don't need any direction and it all gets done. I can't tell you how many times this last week I had people on my case because I have 5 places to go at 2 in the afternoon and we needed to be somewhere by 5 and they didn't think we could do it all.....ummm, but we did. So what is it with the plan thing?? Some days Capricorns and concrete sequential people piss me off. But as hubby would say....Better to be pissed off than pissed on.

What Christmas is about

*****WARNING TEAR JERKER STORY*****

If any of you know the song the "Christmas Shoes" and it chokes you up and makes you cry, then this is probably going to get you too. Have some tissue near by as you watch the video.

You will get to hear the back ground story, but I can tell you a little more. I taught Erioca (pronounced Erica) last year and she comes in my room every day (even though I don't teacher her this year) and gives me a hug every 7th period. Just one of those things that I stop in my busy hectic day and am happy she is there to give me one. {Getting on a soap box: I don't care what state legislature idiots say or administrators that forget what it is like to be in the room with these kids.....kids need to be touched, there is even research about it on babies in hospitals and if they want to fire me one day for me a "mom" to these kids that I see 8 hours a day 5 days a week and some even more because they get to my room at 7am and come and sit in there because it is too cold outside or stay in my room until 6pm because there is no one there to pick them up - then fire me, but I will give hugs to any child that needs it!!!~ stepping off my soap box and trying not to break an ankle} She is the girl with the short curly hair at the end with the red shirt on. I cried like a baby watching this because I know the child. Her dad has been on pain killers for the really bad kind of arthritis that I don't know how to spell the R word for because I haven't had my coffee yet and I am still teared up (David M helped me find it: Rheumatoid Arthritis) . The doctor messed up the prescription and double the dose. Dad took two pills like he always has and he collapse from an over dose causing a stroke. He was hospitalized and they knew it wasn't promising but he started getting better, the family had some hope that he was going to recover. Then something happened and he passed away after 3 weeks in the hospital. It was VERY unexpected.

They got nominated and selected for a holiday home invasion by one of the radio stations here in Dallas. Here is the link to see how it all went:

http://www.mix1029.com/pages/holidayhomeinvasion.html

Lines

Ok, so all of us are standing in line this holiday season and some of those lines get freaking long, but tonight took the cake. I am only blogging about this quickly as I still need to finish getting the house ready for my MK party tomorrow night....Which if I think about that too much I think I am going to be sick.

Anyway....We are at Kroger tonight (hubby and I), buying gifts for all of our teacher friends. For those of you reading this blog in the morning before you get to school I am NOT going to tell you what I got, but you will have to meet me in the parking lot after school to get your gift. So there are like 20 people in the express lane line since it was the only f-ing line open in the WHOLE store. I take out my phone, I call information and have them dial the store.....They (the customer service desk) let the fucking phone ring like 6 times before picking up. I then tell the lady that answers (and I swear I wasn't POP'n {Picking On the Public for those of you that don't know})...."Hi, I am one of the frustrated customers standing in the line that is about 20 people deep, is there anyway you could open another register?" Her response....."I am off work right now, but I will ask the guy standing at lane 3 what he can do." The people in the line were very pleased with me, as hubby hangs his head in shame that I would call the store to complain while actually waiting in line. I think watched as many as 3 customers leave the store as they saw the insane line they would have to wait in should they choose to shop there.

Then as I was leaving hubby tells me that the "manager" who closes the service desk asked people to please step away from the desk so others wouldn't think the service desk is open. Something tells me this calls for a phone call to the regional office to complain about poor customer service.

Ok....Off to have a panic attack about my house being ready for a party tomorrow night.

Sweet dreams my peeps~

A Tired Principal

This was sent out by hubby's principal today to his staff. And Might I mention this man is awesome. I wish I could work with him.

It occurred to me the other day
There has got to be a better way

To make these parents understand
That we are not at their command

They send us a child that's lazy and rude
And expect us to fix the problem they screwed

For most it isn't hard to see
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

To often we smile and play the game
Allowing the parent to cast the blame

Parents drive away and at you they sneer
Just grin, go home and have some Christmas cheer

At this time of year it's hard to grin
But if you don't then they will win

Frustration comes in many ways
Take heart there's only two more days!

A tired Principal!!!

Great Advice

I know I have been AWOL, but will soon catch everyone up on all of the crazy details of what is going on and I have pictures to go with the holiday party stories I promised.

Courtesy of David M

ONE: Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO: Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE: Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR: When you say, "I love you," mean it.

FIVE: When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

SIX: Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN: Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT: Never laugh at anyone's dream. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE: Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN: In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN: Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE: Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN: When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

FOURTEEN: Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN: Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN: When you lose, don't lose the lesson

SEVENTEEN: Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN: Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN: When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY: Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY-ONE: Spend some time alone.

Staff Holiday Parties

I will have to post more on this when I am not under the influence and can type a little better, but let it be known that the school hubby is at still knows how to party. They are known in the district as being the school to teach at because of some of the great parties.

Two things before I head off to bed to pass out.....The slammer board was there (I haven't seen that thing in over 7 years) and one of the blondes who was drunk off her ass sang "I Touch Myself".......

More to follow.....sleep tight all.