Resignation

No, not mine! Lady Bug's. She resigned from preschool on Friday!

I showed up at the school to pick her up and the teacher came over with a very concerned look on her face and asked to speak with me. She ushered me aside from the hustle and bustle of the classroom. She informed me that Lady Bug had told her she would not be coming back to school. I looked somewhat confused. She went on to say that Lady Bug told her that this was her last week and that after this weekend she would not be back to school there.

I couldn't think what Lady Bug would have been talking about, but assured the teacher that she was in fact returning to school on Monday. About this time, Lady Bug came pouncing over from where she was and said "I am going to kindergarten at the boys' school."

I leaned down to her and said that would be NEXT year. She piped up "Noooooo, that's next weekend." So I told her again that she would have to wait until next year to go to kindergarten at the boys' school.

I then looked back at the teacher and assured her that Lady Bug would be returning to school and would not be leaving until next year when she starts kindergarten!

The teacher was relieved and said "She was so serious when she told me that I really believed her, but knew I should double check with you first."

Friday Recipe - Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

I found this recipe a couple weeks ago here and decided to make it over the weekend for my neighbor. She shared a piece with me while we chatted one afternoon. This is such a yummy cake and was easy to make. It doesn't need frosting, just a simple dusting of powdered sugar. Spirit, who doesn't really care for chocolate *gasp* (he can't be my child!), had a bite and said it was actually pretty good.

CHOCOLATE CHIP POUND CAKE
from Imparting Grace
INGREDIENTS:

1 box of devil's food cake mix
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 (3.4 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 heaping cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan or just spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Place cream cheese in mixer bowl. Beat cream cheese a bit to soften. Add cake mix; beat a bit to combine with cream cheese. Scrape sides of bowl. Add oil, water, and vanilla; beat well. Scrape sides of bowl again. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pudding mix; beat until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour/spoon batter into prepared pan. Note: the batter will be very, very thick. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour, not a moment more. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove cake from pan.

Click here to go over and see her pictures of this glorious cake!

It's a new day

Thanks for all the kind words from yesterday's post. It made me feel very loved! The cry on Monday night was definitely healing! Yesterday proved to be a much better day - all of your comments sure helped!

Today is a brand new day! My house is slowly getting back in order (other than the leaking washer still needs fixed or replaced), my boss is in trial out of state and so I am working on getting caught up at work. Although he gave me a new, big project before he left, I still am cruising right along and should be close to caught up by the end of the week! What a good feeling that is!

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Kind of a funny story....at least it's funny now, it wasn't when it first happened.

Last week when I was working from home and Spirit was on the couch asleep beside me with his fever (poor kid). I was so busy and focused I didn't notice the dog had disappeared from sight. She is a sneaky little 2 year old dog and if we don't keep an eye on her she will get into trouble. So anyway, I get up to go look for her. I call her name and here she comes from the sunroom and she looks a tad bit guilty. So I decide to investigate the sunroom. There I found 3 pairs of my underwear and a dishcloth that she has pulled from the dirty laundry and has chewed into a million pieces.

Later that evening we are sitting in the sunroom eating and she starts to barf by the back door...I jump up to shove her outside and she barfed up some of my panties on the back porch. I didn't find it humorous at all until later. Now I chuckle everytime I think about it. Not sure why it's funny now, but it is!

Momma had a meltdown

With the stresses I have been under lately starting with me being sick and falling behind at work and with household stuff too, then with the boys getting sick causing me to miss more work and fall further behind both at home and work, then with the stress of possible layoffs at Mr. Man's job my mind and body had finally had enough last night.

First thing, I was told by all the teachers (all three of them) that we needed to replenish some supplies (kleenex, disinfectant wipes, pencils, glue... just to name a few). So I stopped in Target by office on my way to work and spent $50.00. FIFTY DOLLARS on supplies.

Then get to work and all that work I did Saturday...down the tubes. My boss tore it all apart. Why? Don't know and not sure he knows either. After putting all those notebooks back together, I worked hard trying to dig out of all the stacks and stacks on my desk at work and all the unanswered emails and phone calls. I got out of the office a tad bit late, to jump into traffic that isn't moving because apparently no one knows how to drive in the rain. As a result end up getting to Lady Bug's school with about 30 seconds to spare before I get charged that high priced late fee. I bumped into a chatty teacher who kept us there for 15 minutes talking. I was very polite, but I kept saying "well, we better let you get home. It's late." Her response? "It's ok. I don't have anyone to go home to tonight." Hmmmmm, well WE DO! I, of course did not say that! So I get home to pass Mr. Man as he heads out to a meeting and I fix dinner. The kids were all in rare form. Arguing with each other over every.little.thing. Lady Bug was whinier than usual. After dinner I head upstairs to change clothes and there is liquid antibacterial soap all over the bathroom counter. Come to find out that Spirit accidentally dropped our cute little lion soap dispenser and it broke (although he didn't know it broke at the time). As I am attempting to clean up the mess, the soap is going everywhere. It got on my new shirt, it got on my cell phone (don't ask why I insisted the cell phone be with me anyway, but it just was!), it dribbled on the floor. It was a disasterous mess! As I head down to throw the towels and rags in the washing machine I noticed the washer is leaking. NICE.

I sat down and cried. My poor kids just stared at me. Lefty finally leans over to Spirit and whispers "I know why she is crying. It's just because she does this all the time. I think it is a girl thing or something."

A-hem. I do NOT do THIS all the time..... well ok. Maybe more often than I'd like to admit! Certainly not ALL THE TIME, however!

It sure felt good to cry though. I slept really well and woke up fully refreshed and ready to start the day over again! Sometimes all I need is a good hearty cry (sometimes...not all the time as some would like to have you believe!)

It's Monday already??? - UPDATED

Well, everyone went to school today. Yesterday Spirit was definitely feeling himself. I wouldn't let him play outside all day, I didn't want to take any chances since it was a little cold here. He coughed a little bit when he woke up, but not too bad. I told him to take it easy today, especially on recess. *fingers crossed he makes it a full day*

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Mr. Man got a call yesterday afternoon that he needed to attend a mandatory meeting at 8:00 am today. Talk was of possible layoffs. I am waiting to hear from him still to know how the meeting went. I should re-word that and say I am on pins and needles waiting to hear from him.
UPDATED TO ADD: As of 4:00 pm today, there have been no layoffs. Managers didn't even show up for the meeting (that was supposed to start at 8:00 am) until after noon.
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Due to be being out with sick kids last week, I ended up working Saturday, almost a full day too. I don't like doing that because then I feel like I didn't really get a weekend. I didn't get all my weekend "chores" done for sure! So, here we are back at Monday. Good news is that my boss has trial out of state and leaves tomorrow so I can do some catch-up work later this week, I hope anyway.

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL!

Friday Recipe - Broccoli Cheese Soup

I love this soup and the family does too. Tastes great with sourdough bread rolls or serve this up in bread bowls. mmm, mmm, mmm delicious!

Broccoli Cheese Soup
INGREDIENTS:
5 Tbls butter
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-4 medium carrots, shredded
2 crowns of broccoli, chopped
1/2 c flour
2 Tbls cornstarch
4 c chicken broth
4 c milk
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 lb shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Add vegetables to large stock pot with just enough water to cover them. Cook for 3-5 minutes until vegetables are tender. In a separate pan, melt butter and then stir in flour and cornstarch. Stir constantly for about one minute and then add in chicken broth. Continue stirring until slightly thickened. Stir into vegetables. Add in milk and spices and heat until very warm. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. This is important to keep the cheese from curdling. Season with salt and pepper.

**TO REHEAT: microwave for 30 seconds. Stir then continue microwaving at 30 second intervals until the soup is warm. Using this method to reheat the soup will keep the cheese from curdling.

We are coming out of it

Spirit is feeling better but still has a slight fever and lots of coughing. He is home from school again today. I am actually doing work from home today (which I could get used to!) So far Lady Bug isn't showing any signs of getting this nasty virus. *fingers crossed*

I am very lucky that I have a boss who is sympathetic and understanding of family issues. I have had some not-so-understanding bosses in the past and it is so nice to be able to call my boss and not worry I could lose my job over it. When I called my boss this morning I told him my son was still sick and I would need to stay home with him again, I offered to come in this evening but he said "I am so sorry he is still sick. Let me take a look at our projects and see what I might need you to do, if anything. I would hate for you to be away from your family tonight." Pretty soon he called me back and said "If I email you some things could you work on them and just email me back by the end of the day?" I am so lucky to have such a good boss. I try to be a good employee to him as well and never take advantage of him.

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Just a funny story:

After seeing Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs the boys were telling Mr. Man about the movie and then Lefty says "At the end of the movie they kiss. It was gross."

Spirit: "Yes it was SO gross. I'm not ever getting married."

Me: "You know that mom and dad are married. We enjoy it. What's wrong with being married?"

Lefty and Spirit (almost in unison): "Because you have to kiss. Ick."

It just made me laugh how grossed out they were over kissing.