Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 97.

First, there was the awesome par-tay! Yes, that's Kiddo in the swag hat.

Goodbye month of May: you were hectic, tiring, but so beautiful.
Goodbye 5th grade: you were hectic, tiring, but so beautiful.
Goodbye kitchen chair as Kiddo discovers he doesn't have to stand on one anymore to reach the top shelf in the pantry (not sure how I feel about this one).
Goodbye highway traffic jam heading North on 271, Cedar exit (at least for 3 glorious summer-vacay months).
Goodbye pounds as I try to whittle away just 5 more with summertime activities (yes, these are the same 5 I've been talking about for months, now).
 

Then, there was the formality.

Hello summer as I welcome the month of June with open arms and an open mind to all adventures that await us.
Hello summer vacation, slowing it down and taking it all in.
Hello Middle School; we have 3 months, let's not rush it.
Hello sunscreen, big hats, and sunglasses - protection tools I have to take more seriously.
Hello calm.

Now, we're left with possibilities. Let the summer fun begin!

The lesson I learned this week is life's trials are a test, but they are only a test. I never want to take for granted difficult situations, difficult decisions, or difficult people. There is always so much to learn and take away from each. All of these trials are like Miracle-Gro for the soul and spirit. My way of dealing with difficulties and trials will either move me forward or move me backward depending on my actions and reactions to the situation. I want to be heading in the forward direction so, whenever I'm faced with a trial, I need to remember that person, that situation, that difficulty, was presented to me as a test (a gift, really). It's up to me what happens next. And, sometimes, what happens next may be absolutely nothing. Sometimes, doing nothing and letting things go IS the right answer to project me in the right direction.

Happy June! Time for the flip-flops.

It Is Time

I'm not coming to any rash decisions here, but it is time to take stock, wrap my head around a new plan, if necessary. I need to re-think how I've been doing things, throw out what's not working, and make what is working a stronger beacon in my life. Do I have the strength to let go of what is familiar? Do I have the guts to embark on the new and the unknown? I sure hope so.

As we fire up the BBQ's, smell subtle glimpses of freshly cut grass, and unbury our swimsuits from packed away trunks, we ready ourselves for the summer season. Yet, my mind is heading into dormancy; more of a winter season mindset, where comfort is sought and quietness surrounds. It's the shush of the icy wind through the trees that transcends my mind to ready my body for renewal. I want to take the summer to lull my mind into a winter hibernation to get ready for a spring renewal come autumn. That's a lot of seasons going on all at once in the middle of summer. But, it's necessary from time to time. Don't you think so?

How do I want the next 3 months to look like? How do I want a year from now to look like? Sometimes you just have to stop, walk away, be alone with yourself and your thoughts and just wait and listen for where your next steps should be directed. Where will the silence lead me? I don't know, yet, but it's an exciting journey and one that I welcome.

Change is a-comin'.

What I Made Wednesday {Shares on Display: VII}

I know, I know, I promised you the birthday party post today but, with this being the last week of school, I just don't have the time to do it any justice. I'm shooting for next week. But, seeing that it is the last week of school, I wanted to show you the last of the Shares on Display.

This month's theme was "What I want to be when I grow up". The case reads, "5th Graders Are Our Future". Those that signed up got to bring items that represented their future occupations and those students were highlighted in the display. But, I couldn't help but include the entire Class of 2020 in this final display of the year. I distributed index cards and had them write their name and future aspirations on the card. If they didn't know, no pressure, they just wrote their name on the card.

I took all the cards and made them form a huge letter "H" representing the name of our school. This is going to take some trial and error to get all the cards to fit into the letter you are trying to create. Don't give up! If, in your case, you have some cards left over, you can always scatter them around in the background. To help the "H" stand out better, I took a black permanent marker and outlined the letter. Much better and I highly recommend this extra step!

Then, on a Dollar Store run, I found these inspirational wall stickies that I just couldn't pass up. To my surprise, they stuck like glue to the paper background! Awesome!

To pizazz it up a bit, I layered the floor of the case with sparkly streamers for better visual effect.

Well, that's that. An entire year of displays where we involved every 5th grader. I had a blast doing it and it really did spruce up the hallway. If you want to see all the display cases, here's a compiled list of them all. I hope this inspires you to volunteer at your school, take over a case, and be as creative as you can be!

Best Halloween Costume

Trophies, Medals, and Ribbons

Favorite Childhood Books

Interesting Hobbies and Collections

Favorite Video Game or App
Best Vacation Ever

All done! See how sad an empty case can look.

Sacredness in the Struggle

There's just no way around it. No matter how I approach today's post, whether delicately like antique lace or abruptly like cigar smoke, it will come off spotlighting me as an old-fogey!

Definition

old fogey - noun - "someone who has old-fashioned ideas, especially someone who is old." - Macmillan Dictionary

At 41-years old I do not claim the latter part of the above definition, but the rest of it seems to describe me to a "T". I see so many examples of the "Millennial Generation" through my work as owner of a college admissions private consulting business, College Driven. If there's a sure fire way to see this generation's impact on society, you need look no further than today's college campus.

For those in the Millennial Generation, the typical student is tech-savvy, has confidence spewing from every acne-free pore, and life's amenities have been kind and expected. The latest gadgets are at their disposal, the dermatologist has been visited more frequently than the math tutor, and the lifestyles of many Millennial kids have been at a level many of us adults still hope to achieve one day (like not sharing a bathroom with the rest of the family).

So, to lure the Millennials to college campuses across the country, it comes as no surprise that millions of dollars are invested in tranforming dorms into residential halls with private bathrooms (why should college be any different than home, after all). To attract the Millennials, colleges are building facilities more aligned to resorts found in the Caribbean than the college campuses we remember. Can you believe there are at least 3 campuses (very well-known) that boast a lazy river! Don't even get me started talking about the concierge services at some colleges. And we question the rise of tuition costs!?!?!?

Perhaps all of these luxuries are required to ease the mind and relieve the stresses today's college students experience. The demands must be far greater than when we went to college, right? But, they're not. In fact, the quality of a college education has actually decreased because the power has been taken away from the professors, and placed into the customer's hands, a.k.a. the student's. Many of these kids have grown up expecting that even the slightest effort on a baseball team, on a soccer field, or just showing up merits a trophy or medal. So, why should this be questioned in college? Everyone deserves an "A" if they showed up to class and did all the assignments. But, if you didn't actually "learn" anything, is an "A" warranted? As a professor, you're doomed if you do and doomed if you don't. If, as a professor, you're not making the class fun and giving out a good number of A's, your future is dimmed by websites like RateMyProfessors.com, where students fill-out surveys on their professors as if they're filling out a customer service survey at a local department store. Get too many negative remarks, tenured or not, the professor is asked to hit the road. Bad for business, you know. Back in 2001, the Boston Globe reported a whopping 91 percent of Harvard graduates that year received honors. Yes, everyone received a trophy for showing up.

I want to know what happened with respecting the struggle? What happened with going away to college to learn the ropes, the survivals of life? I'm not kidding when I say there are now options of maid service and laundry service available on campus for a pretty reasonable fee. Is the college experience even genuine if you never rummage through couches for quarters for the washer or turn your underwear pink?

The Millennial Generation is becoming soft because they've figured out how to work smarter, not harder. But will they be able to face adversity? Will they even be aware of their own failures? Or even worse, does their naivety make them better off? Ignorance is bliss, afterall.

Sourced Article

And, where does that leave my child? He'll be hired by this Millennial Generation. My child will bring to the interview a set of values not valued by the Millennial Generation. Super Hubby and I continue to instill old values into our young Kiddo that, in the future, may be obsolete. We hope the old adage of "hard work pays off" still exists in the future generation. But, to be honest, I'm not so sure. Our old-fashioned theories may be hindering, not helping Kiddo. But, it's the only thing we know how to teach. If we're wrong, sorry Kiddo, we goofed. And, if we're right and hard work still means something in the future, then, Kiddo, you'll be way ahead of the others you've grown up with! Don't be afraid of struggle. It may be the only way you are able to become a contributor to the world. Celebrate the struggles to appreciate the true glories.

Anyone else concerned about the future or is this just a normal fear, passed on from generation to generation?

Gratitude Journal Monday

When words of gratitude don't seem like enough...

Remember the reason for today.

Happy Memorial Day, America!

Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 96.

Goodbye sending Kiddo off to 5th Grade Camp for 3 whole days.
Goodbye 30-degree temperature drop in those 3 days!
Goodbye getting all of those pesky little errands and tasks done.
Goodbye getting that organizing bug and wanting to clear out the whole house and wondering why this bug happens to hit me when summer is about to start?
Goodbye time spent with my mom, shopping and hanging out without any time constraints.

Hello lots and lots of dirty laundry from camp.
Hello pulling out Kiddo's camp experience like teeth: What did you do those 3 days, sweetie? "Nothing" - ugh!
Hello Jersey Boardwalk open for business - congrats to Restoring the Shore!
Hello BBQ's, time spent with friends, and remembering why we have our freedoms.
Hello white shoes and flowing skirts; Happy Memorial Day Weekend.

The lesson learned for this week is how much I love the resilience of the human spirit. Watching the Jersey Shore comeback fills your heart with hope as you see their determination to get back what they once had come into reality. Oklahoma is going to do the same after their tornado devestation. It's not even a question, they just are. The human spirit is a hard one to break, even after Mother Nature has had her way with it. But, we pull through, heading in only one direction: forward.

Winner of the Chick-fil-A giveaway: LEFTY, comment #4, selected by Random.org.

Source

Marketing 101: Check your dates

What is wrong with this e-mail, sent from a very fancy, shmancy restaurant near our town?

 Don't forget the Chick-fil-A giveaway! Entries end tonight, midnight, EST.

What I Made Wednesday {Snazzy-Up the Front Door}

In my laundry/craft room.

The dollar store never ceases to amaze me. There's a lot of junk, admittedly, but there's some really cool stuff, too! During a recent escapade I found these wall stick-on's that I just could not pass up. I'm such a softie for quotes and words that I bought a couple of them. Two I used for the final Shares on Display (which I will share next week), one for my laundry room (isn't it so cute?), and one for my front door.

I didn't think the wall stickie would work on my front door, but it does. Periodically I have to rub it down because the sun tends to lift it up a bit. But, it's worth it because it makes for a much more inviting entrance, don't you think?

What You'll Need
Wall Stickie
All-Purpose Cleaner

What You'll Do
Clean the area you'll be sticking the wall decal on. It tends to stick better when the surface is clean and free of dirt and dust. Apply the decal, smooth out any bubbles or wrinkles. Voila! Done!

What You'll Need to Know to Finish
Occasionally, as time goes on, you're decal may tend to peel away from the surface in certain areas of the decal. Use a little Elmer's glue stick to adhere the stubborn decal to the surface. Using Elmer's will ensure no damage when you finally do remove the decal.

Don't forget to enter the Chick-fil-A giveway!

Chick-fil-A Giveaway

Who doesn't love Chick-fil-A? There are fresh flowers on every table and in the bathroom at their restaurants. They sell chicken that actually looks like chicken (and the taste is always fresh)! They are closed Sunday so their employees are encouraged to spend family time together. They give boat-loads of scholarships to kids. And, they were the first to offer the brand new Heinz ketchup packaging (squeeze or dip)!

With summer break lurking next week, Kiddo and I will be out and about during the day exploring sites in the city. A tweener (especially a male) can get very hungry, very quickly. That's when I'll be stopping by a Chick-fil-A to check out the new salads and wrap. With swimsuit season already here, it's time to change the diet a bit. Just because I choose fast food, doesn't mean I have to choose fried foods. Chick-fil-A has introduced 3 new salads and a wrap all under 430 calories. With Chick-fil-A's new menu, I don't have to compromise my healthy choices for taste! With Chick-fil-A's new menu options, I can have both.



I want you to try the new menu, too! Chick-fil-A has provided me with a 2-pack of salad coupons to give away to one of my readers. All you have to do is take the "Starter" quiz found below and tell me your results by leaving a Comment! How easy is that? You have until Thursday, May 23, midnight EST, to enter! A winner will be selected using Random.org and will be announced on Friday! Be sure to check back to see if you won.

The prize will be sent via FedEx or USPS. No P.O. Boxes please.
Please note I am working with Chick-fil-A, and Chick-fil-A supplied these materials to me.

Gratitude Journal Monday

Shhh! All is quiet. The party is done. Eight over-the-top excited boys have left the home (well, Kiddo stayed, of course). Clean-up is underway, S-L-O-W-L-Y, because Super Hubby and I are still in recovery mode. Ahhh! We pulled it off and, although we're a bit worse for the wear (if I'm lyin', I'm dyin'), it is done!

I'm treading slowly into this week. How about you, friend? Any recovering from the weekend going on at your end? Let's take it slow together.

466. I'm grateful the party is done and the all-consuming planning is over.
467. I'm grateful a good friend came all the way up from Cincinnati to be here, in Cleveland, to celebrate Kiddo's birthday.
468. I'm grateful for leftover birthday cake and ice cream - YUM!
469. I'm grateful for Advil.
470. I'm grateful Stride Rite had hiking boots in Kiddo's size for camp this week!

I find there is always something for which I should be grateful. Want to see my beginnings? Click here.

Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 95.

Goodbye 5th grade rite of passage: Night of Public Speaking; the kids looked so spiffy and their speeches were so Pro!
Goodbye Kiddo formally presenting his NED winnings to the school at their all-grade assembly (if you don't know this not-to-be-missed story, click here to begin).
Goodbye best show finale I've seen in a loooong time; I already miss The Office.
Goodbye school Field Day and laughing about what a difference a year makes (I got sunburned this year, last year, it was 40 degrees and shiver-inducing).
Goodbye prayers and blessings to Texas as they work through their tornado and storm destruction.

Hello fun birthday party and snapping as many pics as I can so I can share with you!
Hello holding my breath until Sunday while hoping all goes well with this party on Saturday.
Hello taking rest and relaxation to the max come Sunday.
Hello shopping for supplies for Kiddo's class camping trip.
Hello, dear Super Hubby, as we celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary the day of the birthday party - love you!

My lesson learned this week is a big one! Kiddo sprung on me an impromptu Spanish class party and Band party on the way home from baseball practice Wednesday night. I still had a lot of party prep to do on Thursday so squeezing in home baked items to bring to 2 parties on Friday seemed to be out of the question. I rummaged through the pantry and found some leftover marshmallows and exactly the right amount of rice krispy cereal to make rice krispy treats. Score!

The marshmallows were a tiny bit hardened, let's just say. I melted my butter and threw in the marshmallows to melt. Folks, take it from me: stale marshmallows DO NOT melt! It was a hot mess, I tell you. My pan is still soaking 2 days later from the gooey, stuck-on mess it left.

I hopped in the car to go to the grocery store to pick-up some fresh marshmallows and more cereal (as I still thought it might work with burnt marshmallow, I poured my perfect amount of rice cereal into the gooey mess). In my rush through produce I stopped dead in my tracks in the bakery department as a mini-cupcake package caught my eye. $1.99 for a dozen of the cutest little cupcakes you've ever seen. I start doing the math and determine there is no way I could make rice krispy treats for that cheap so, I did it, friends. I bought bakery cupcakes, "re-packaged" them on my own plate, and sent them with Kiddo to the Band party at school. (I had to make this recipe for Spanish so, no store-bought option on that one). So, yes, I did it. I bought, I did not make, the treats for the party. AAAAHHHHHHH! I know, I'm as shocked as you are, but guess what? The kids loved them, it was cheap, and I could spend my time birthday party planning, not making rice krispy treats, take two! Wow, the world is still spinning! I may make a habit out of this:-)

Short Posts. Long Days.

I know, you don't have to say it. This week's posts suck rocks and, yeah, I'm being kind. The month of May is Kiddo's last month of school. This week we're finishing up the final touches to Kiddo's birthday party for this weekend. Did I mention I still have to bake the cake, marinate chicken, make coconut frosting? And, coming home from baseball practice this evening at 9:00 (in the dark), Kiddo tells me about the Spanish and Band parties this Friday! So, I need to make this drink for Spanish (the drink Kiddo made for his Panama project) and cupcakes for Band! Did I mention this is all in between all the party prep I still have to do?

So, to say my mind has NOT been on deep thinking and searching for the perfect words to convey those thoughts is far from an understatement. And, today is shot as I won't be home ALL.DAY.LONG. It's Field Day at my son's school so why drive home just to turn around and drive back for the start of Field Day just a few hours from the start of school? And, then we rush home after Field Day, Kiddo gets in a shower, gets all gussied up, and we head back for Night of Public Speaking where Kiddo will be giving his Leadership Speech.

I'm hoping next week allows me the gift of time to contemplate, discover, and share. You know, the posts you're used to me writing. Hang in there with me, the storm is about to pass soon. 

What I Made Wednesday {Birthday Party Re-Cap}

Friends, it's May, Kiddo's birthday month. This Saturday we're hosting Kiddo's "elevensies" birthday party and we are super busy getting ready for it. If you've been here for awhile, you know how overboard-nutso we get when it comes to planning these parties. Not sure what I'm talking about? Click here, link by link, and see our efforts from last year's Harry Potter-themed party. Then and only then will you understand why I have no new What I Made Wednesday for you today. Thanks for understanding:-)

Everyone's a Comedian

 Me: I'm heading out to check the new grocery store in town, Earth Fare. I even have a coupon for a Free Whole Chicken!


Super Hubby: Where in the world are we going to keep it?

Ba-dum Ching. He's here every night folks. Try the veal.

Gratitude Journal Monday

It's not even 9:00 in the morning yet, but my Monday has been, well, a Monday. One of those stereotypical days that "jumpstart" you out of that relaxed, easy-going hangover from the weekend. The luxury of rest is gone and the heart-thumping beat of the week is upon us. In the midst of the morning bustle to get to school on time, my car refused to start. Quick thinking has Kiddo grabbing Super Hubby's keys, confiscating his car, and we hit the road. We get there on time, I call the dealership to prepare for my soon-to-be visit.

When I get home I grab the jumper cables and hook it all up only after I watched a YouTube video to make sure I was doing it right. (How did we ever know how to do anything before YouTube?). With a quick prayer and a crank of a key, my Honda Odyssey with 125,000 miles on it revs up like a purring kitten. When the car is finally juiced with electricity I notice a light in the way back of the van that was left on. It must have moved to the "on" position when Super Hubby and I  retrieved an 8-foot folding table from my parents on Saturday for Kiddo's upcoming birthday party.

I call the dealership, cancel the appointment, and begin to feel many emotions. First, I'm a little proud of myself that I didn't over react to the situation. I was calm, cool, and collected. So much so that I took care of it myself. Super Hubby is still sleeping and has no idea what my morning has entailed. Second, I feel relief that my day won't be spent at a car dealership waiting around for an answer to my car's issue and a huge repair bill to go with it. And, finally, I'm most grateful for simple fixes. Gosh, I love jumper cables!

461. I am grateful we have 2 vehicles so issues like ones this morning are not a big deal.
462. I am grateful for jumper cables.
463. I am grateful for YouTube videos that are well-done, informative, and confidence-building.
464. I am thankful the rest of my day can go on as planned.
465. I am thankful for my work-horse of a mini-van that just keeps going, and going, and going.

Happy Monday, folks. Hope yours is a better start than mine was.   
  

Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 94.

Goodbye witnessing the miracle in Cleveland unfold as 3 missing girls are found alive after being held captive for a decade.

Goodbye sunshine and warmth and settling into a summer mindset.

Goodbye wrapping up the NED Project and finally presenting Kiddo with his platinum. Read the story here.

Goodbye white cherry blossom petals scattered all over my driveway and looking like freshly fallen snow.

Goodbye school meeting introducing us to Middle School - let the games begin!

Hello Kiddo's "Elevensies" birthday; double ones means double the luck, health and happiness!

Hello dinner at Abuelo's, dessert at Menchie's, and home for presents: what could be more perfect?

Hello working like crazy this weekend to get the party set-up for next weekend (8 computers, 8 keyboards, 8 mice - whew!).

Hello Kiddo running a Lemonade Stand for school at WaterWay on Lander Circle - stop by on Saturday from 10 - 2 to help the kids' with their community service fundraiser. 

Hello Mother's Day to all you awesome women out there that put others before yourselves; at least take Sunday to turn the tables!

My lesson learned this week is that I've discovered I'm not a "dweller" or a "longer" for days gone by. Here it is, eleven years after Kiddo was born and I can't tell you how excited I am for his present and his future. Middle School starts in the fall and I'm thrilled for him, as I know this is a time for maturity and growth, sometimes it ain't gonna be pretty. But, I'm going to enjoy watching him grow some more, learn even more, and get closer to the person he is meant to become.

Some moms I talk to long for the days when their kids were little. They dwell on the past as if they could somehow bring it back by just wishing it to be. I'm not like that. I've been there, done that, and I enjoyed every minute of it. But, to wish it back? No. I'm not sure if this makes me an ogre of a mom but, I'm looking forward to moving forward, witnessing Kiddo discover his interests and passions that will lead to his future. To wish him back to being 3-years old is not something that enters my mind like it does other moms I know.

In fact, I see young mothers taking care of their toddlers, changing diapers, never eating a hot meal at a restaurant, and I think, I'm glad to be out of that time in my life. Even with all of those inconveniences, I still loved it at the time while I was in it. But I've moved on and I'm happy to have done so. Maybe my refusal to dwell in the past comes from not having any regret? I stayed home with Kiddo and I don't feel like I missed anything. Those were the best days ever. And, I know even the bestest of days are to come, waiting for us to get there, in the future. But, in the meantime, I'll enjoy and cherish the now, leaving the past as a sweet, fulfilling, satisfying memory.

Happy Mother's Day, Ladies! 
       

Feedburner Folly

This post is dedicated to LOVD's e-mail subscribers.

Welcome back, e-mail subscribers. I know many of you thought I was taking an extended bloggy break, but no, that was not the case. In fact, I've been here all along, blogging everyday, Monday through Friday, and many of you have been missing it because FeedBurner, Google's e-mail subscription engine, decided to stop sending you your daily dose of LOVD! I tried fixing it on my own, but couldn't. I tried dealing with customer service at FeedBurner, but to no avail and lots of frustration. But, what can you expect when you get something for free?

I thought all was lost for my e-mail subscribers and was just about to consider switching from FeedBurner to MailChimp, when all of a sudden, I get this in my e-mail's Inbox just yesterday.

I contacted many of my e-mail subscribers to find they had received the same e-mail! One e-mail listed ALL the posts that never made it to my subscribers! My apologies if you were a bit flabbergasted and overwhelmed! Um, FeedBurner, what the...?

I know your waking thought in the morning isn't, "I wonder what LOVD has to say today?", so, unless it comes to you via e-mail, you're not really thinking of going directly to the website to check the latest post (no, I'm not offended. A little hurt, but not offended). There are other ways you can be sure not to miss a day. You can join GoogleFriend Connect, you can "Like" LOVD on Facebook (each post is listed daily), and you can find each post at LinkyTools. All of these options are to the right. See it?

I have no clue if you'll even get this post in your Inbox today? And, if you do, I don't know if it'll work tomorrow, or even next week? FeedBurner is too unpredictable so I will be investigating MailChimp when I get some time over the summer. For now, cross your fingers and hope this hiccup has been fixed.

In any event, welcome back LOVD e-mail subscribers! Let's hope this lasts!