it's a cheap pink kind of day

I woke up this morning feeling like I needed some fluorescent pink in my life. So I got dressed, dropped Big A off at school for a few hours, and drove to CVS to make the ultimate PWT purchase -- cheap nailpolish.

I was looking for some neon cotton-candy/pepto-bismol type of shade for my finger nails. I'd actually love it on my toes too, but I don't have the heart to ruin my pricey French pedi from last weekend. So I'll have to settle on the fingers.

Wouldn't you know it! The more reputable" brands (if there is such a thing at a chain drugstore) didn't sell quite the shade I was looking for. So I had to settle on one of those displays at the end of the aisle. You know the ones ... they have glittery lip glosses, bright blue and green eye shadows, and wacky crappy nail colors. Low and behold, I found exactly what I was looking for!

So now I'm sporting "Pink Pop" by Milani Nail Art (I love how they try to make it sound classy) on my digits. I'm sure it'll chip by the end of the day, but whatever. It made me feel good for a while. And that is the ultimate goal, right?

Oh, and the picture I've provided in no way does it justice. It's much tackier with much more neon! Promise!

a perfect summer wine

Last weekend I picked up several bottles of wine at Leibman's. An added bonus to the shopping stop was the help I received from one of the employees -- a wine importer from Alsace, France who now works and resides in Houston.

She was a wealth of information and really knows her stuff. That afternoon, we got to talking about rosé wines, and how misunderstood they are, especially here in the states. Most folks see the color and immediately expect a white zinfandel.

My favorite bottle so far from that day's picks is Sauvion, a rosé d'Anjou, one of three French rosés from the region. Sauvion is made from gamay and groslet grapes grown in France's Loire Valley. It comes in a clear bottle to show off its coral color. I found a review in the Augusta Chronicle: "This beautiful, light, refreshing wine is the perfect summer sipper,"-- my thoughts exactly!

Time for another trip to Leibman's!

I did it!

Yippee! I'm finally starting to work on one of my summer goals -- scrapbooking!

As I've written in the past, scrapbooking is something I've wanted to do for a long time, and I'm one of the world's worst at putting my "best laid plans" into action. I'm flippin' notorious for making excuses, and finding a million other things to do that get in the way. So today has been huge for me!

I've also written several times about signs and synchronicity that seem to be presenting themselves in my life right now -- well, the beauty of it all continues! The mother of one of my students from this past year has come along into my life at a perfect time (actually not THAT perfect, considering that school is out, but I digress). Anyway, I heard through the grapevine that she was a big scrapper, so I talked to her a few weeks ago about how much I wanted to get started. She gave me some great tips, as far as local places to visit, online resoureces to explore, and so on.

Over the past few weeks, this lovely lady hasn't given up on me! At least once or twice a week, she sends me little notes of encouragement and asks me about where I am in my little journey -- but in a totally non-pushy way. It's like she's there to remind me that she's THERE.

This morning she sent me a note about some resources available on an online magazine site. After checking it out, I decided to order a print subscription to the magazine. From there, I found 2 other magazines that looked like fun, so I ordered them too! But not wanting to wait the full 6-8 weeks time that it's going to take to receive my first issues, I decided to hit the magazine rack at Barnes and Noble. I found a few magazines that looked like they'd be fun ways to help get my creative juices flowing.

Sidenote ... have I mentioned that Aidan is in school 3-days a week this summer, so I was able to do all of this ME TIME stuff on my own?! It's so fabulous! I love my little boy to pieces, but I didn't realize how much I needed some alone time. I feel like I'm doing something naughty! I even drove through Sonic for a diet cherry limeade! :)

Back to the story. On the way home, I stopped at Michael's, just to check out what they have on the scrapbooking aisle. OK! That should've read AISLES! There's a ton of stuff there! Who knew? On top of everything, a very kind lady (thanks, April!) who works at Michael's spent about half an hour with me and recommended some basic tools, as well as gave me some tips on getting started. It's so great how everything just seems to be falling together for me on my newest endeavor!

In the end, April the Michael's lady's biggest suggestion was that I start organizing my pictures before I even begin tackling a page or a full book. So I purchased 4 photo boxes to get me started. I'm going to sit on the floor over the next few days and get myself in order! My friend from school (the parent) has invited me over in a few weeks for a "weekend of scrapping." I have no idea what that means, but she's already hinted that wine is involved, so it can't be anything but great!

Again, I'm discovering so many good people in my life, at just the right time -- blessings galore! God is so good.

I know this is a silly little thing to get so excited about, but it just feels really great to have a fun project going on in my life! Woo hoo!

great road trips for Texas families

I stumbled across this link in this morning's Houston Chronicle, and fell instantly in nostalgic love with it.

It's no secret that I'm a Texan from the tips of my fingers to the corners of my soul -- it's so much a part of who I am. One of my favorite things to do is to get in the car and explore this great state. I haven't done it in a while ... life and motherhood has sort of gotten in the way.

I know gas prices are high, and there's always something to be done around the house. But I'm thinking a road trip somewhere in the Lone Star State this summer would do wonders in replenishing my spirit.

So, add it to my list of goals! A meaningful road trip, complete with small town stops along the way for fresh beef jerkey and cold beer!

Here are the places listed in the link above (minus all the gorgeous pictures!)

1. Capitol building, Austin


2. Austin Children's Museum


3. Barton Springs Pool & Deep Eddy Pool (Austin)


4. Enchanted Rock State Nature Area (between Fredericksburg and Llano)


5. camping in Pedernales Falls State Park


6. swimming in the Pedernales River


7. Texas State Aquarium (Corpus Christi)


8. Mustang Island State Park (Port Aransas)


9. Bird Island Basin in Padre Island National Seashore (watch the windsurfers!)


10. the beaches of Padre Island National Seashore


11. USS Lexington (Corpus Christi)


12. Schlitterbahn water park (New Braunfels)


13. tubing on the Comal and Guadalupe rivers


14. Snake Farm and Exotic Animal Park (New Braunfels)


15. Natural Bridge Caverns (just south of New Braunfels on I-35)


16. The Alamo (San Antonio)


17. The River Walk (San Antonio)


18. Six Flags Fiesta Texas (San Antonio)


19. SeaWorld (San Antonio)


20. Stockyards National Historic District (Fort Worth)


21. Six Flags Over Texas (Arlington)


22. Fort Worth Zoo


23. Dallas World Aquarium and the Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park


24. Uptown and West Village areas in Dallas (McKinney Avenue)


25. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

first official day of summer

It's been a long time since I've been able to just relax over on "this" side of town (the west side of Houston, where I grew up), without having to drive all the way back to our home in Friendswood -- it's about a 1-hour commute. On the list of positives that I'm trying to focus on with our looming deployment rapidly approaching, is being able to live and work in the area where I grew up, with the peole I love.

Yesterday, I kicked it all off with Mom. We hung out, shopped, and were in absolutely no hurry to be anywhere or do anything -- it was great. I told her that I felt like I was on vacation!

We started our day out with a [much-needed!] manicure and pedicure -- hot rocks and all. Then we drove out to a new teacher supply place and stocked up on a bunch of fun goodies (including a new fire fighter outfit for Aidan!). Then we stopped in Blue Willow, a great independent book store in Houston, to visit with B -- my dear friend and fellow book junkie. It was fun to just wander from place to place!

Next we headed over to Liebman's Wine and Fine Foods for some wine tasting (and way too much wine purchasing!). Then we rounded things out with a shower gift at Baby Gap and a trip to the Aveda salon to replenish my supply of Firmata and Confixor.

My first official day of summer vacation ended with a yummy dinner at Taste of Texas with Mom, Ty and Aidan. How bad can sharing a porterhouse with the guy you love be? Although, I will say that navigating the salad bar with a 2-year-old in my arms proved to be rather challenging.

Finally ... the cherry on the top of my perfect day ... my Fightin' Texas Aggies KILLED the University of Houston on the baseball diamond in Regional play, 22-4. Yep. That was the final score.

It was a pretty darn good day.

I'm free

School is out for the summer!

It was harder than usual for me to say goodbye to my kids this year. I had the best class -- my favorite in 12 years of teaching, actually. I loved those little crazies. Anyway, I had a few lumps in my throat at the end of the day, which is unusual for me. But like I told the kiddos, I don't like goodbyes, so I refuse to say them.

So now the entire summer is in front of me, and I'm sure going to try and make the most of this one. I WILL start scrapbooking, even if it kills me. I want to [TRY] and get into some sort of shape (besides round). And most of all, I want to make the most of my family time -- both as a mommy and as a wife. It's extra special this summer since we're facing so many changes and challenges. But I absolutely refuse to mope around and let my emotions get the best of me!

So. It is with the best of intentions, that I begin summer 2008. Ahhhh. Can't wait.

shredding

I did some shredding today. And I'm talking ... an Enron-amount of shredding. Boxes and boxes of multi-colored confetti are now resting comfortably in the big ol' recycle dumpster at the local elementary school. But beyond the paper, there was much more.

A definite positive to this whole moving process is being forced to sort through all the crap in your life that's been sitting on the top shelf of the closet, or in the bottom of the junk drawer in the spare bedroom. You have to stop and analyze whether or not it's worth it to actually take something out of a box and store it somewhere ... again ... or just toss it.

Sometimes the digging isn't so deep and the decision isn't so difficult. I mean, how important is it to keep every single paystub you've ever received? Not very. And old bills, receipts and lease agreements from your first apartment out of college (almost 15 years ago ... GULP!)? Nah. Not necessary.

But then you encounter the stuff that makes you stop and pause before tossing it away. It doesn't necessarily mean you're pining for the past -- but more like thinking back to a time when life was simpler, and organized by fewer levels of complexity.

The yearbooks, of course you keep. And for some reason, I kept the [totally useless] box that my Aggie Ring came in. I threw away the random shot glasses, as well as the old tarnished James Avery dangle charm rings that were oh-so-important to me when I was a girl. There just comes a time when, as much as you love the memory, you have to finally part with the tangible evidence of it -- for the sake of sanity and space, in the very least.

Then there was the picture of Bev and I in New York City with those crazy guys we met -- the ones who we hung out with in countless bars that glorious, long weekend. The ones who painted their faces before the Texas A&M vs. FSU game and had us laughing for years afterwards. I'm never going to stick that photo in a frame, but seeing it today still made me laugh. So I saved it.

And then there were the cards, pictures, and other crazy nicknacks (a USAF name badge from his uniform?!) from the ex -- the BIG ex. Wading through all of this stuff didn't necessarily make me laugh. Instead, it made me exhale and think, "Dang. I was so close to making a very monumental mistake, wasn't I?" These tokens and trinkets had me pausing amidst all the clutter and crap, looking at my dusty, crazy life today and saying to myself, "Wow. I did it right." I threw away the uniform name badge. And it was cathartic.

The local Good Will made a killing this weekend. And I learned a lot about myself along the way.

Bud Light Lime

Hubby stopped by Specs this afternoon, so I asked him to grab me a 6-pack of Bud Light Lime. I didn't expect to like it, but it's pretty darn good, for a gimicky beer. It's refreshing (that's annoyingly cliche, I know) and really light. The lime isn't overpowering at all. In fact, I added a fresh lime wedge to my second bottle.

I'll definitely be buying more. Good timing too -- perfect for summertime. Maybe it'll help me drink away my misery over gas prices.

Yummy cold goodness.

I got a new toy!

No, not THAT kind of toy.

I got a new phone! It's race car cool, but it's the first time in my whole life where I sorta feel like technology has passed me by -- I haven't yet figure out how to navigate my way around all the bells and whistles. And I'm talking about the BASIC navigation (like scrolling!).

My super swell friend B informed me that today's "gen X/Y/Z (?)-ers" now use their thumbs instead of index fingers for scrolling on a touch-screen. So maybe that's my problem. Regardless, I think it's somewhat sad that I now own a phone that I can't even maneuver, as designed. But I'm looking forward to playing with it!

It's the little things in life, right? Like a sexy new phone.

blessings

I've been feelin' kind of blue for a few months. No, things haven't gone exactly as planned, but the thing is, I'm still in the game. Life is still so very much worth relishing and breathing in deep. So I thought I'd take quick stock of all that I have.

My son. He's my sun, moon, stars ... and sticky, syrupy fingers ... he's a cranky, beastie of 2-year-old when he wakes up ... he's a singer of the "ACBs" song ... and pointer-outer of all letters and numbers he sees. He's the greatest gift I've ever been given, and I'm humbled every day.

My job. I'm able to work every day in the field in which I earned my degree ... in a school full of kids I adore, among peers who keep me sane and smiling.

Good wine. Pulling the cork from a beautiful bottle of liquid grapes, and taking that first deep breath of goodness never gets old. Thank God for Bogle, La Crema, Pascual Toso, and all my other current vino loves.

Good cheese. (see above ... to go with good wine). A chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano on a cracker, with spicy mango chutney is my current favorite. But who can resist a slice of stinky stilton? Or a good Danish bleu? And don't even get me started on a creamy Havarti. Delish.

My twin sister. Couldn't live without her.

Texas. I'm so blessed to live in this great state, among the finest people in the world. It never gets old. The more I travel and the farther away I go, the more I realize how much I love it.

My husband. I don't deserve him, even a little bit. I can't believe he puts up with me and loves me, despite all my madness. I can't wait to go through this quirky ride called life with him and see what else lies in store for us.

My Lord. Who through Him, all things are possible.

My VOE girls, B and N. One provides an ear I've grown to love and rely on (plus, she introduced me to Edward and Bella and all the other Twilight crew), and the other keeps me laughing. It's a damn good mix.

Bubble baths and candles. Not for romance. For ME. Time to soak and escape. Even for a little bit.

My family. Mom, Dad, Christine. I'm so lucky to live near them and be a part of their lives. I know I take them for granted.

Baseball and college football. One means summer, the other means fall. God, I so love them both. Especially in Aggieland.

A good book, soft sheets, and time to myself. It just doesn't get much better. Oh, wait. Yeah it does. See above.

Yeah, life is pretty darn good in my world. I'm blessed.

great weekend

My beloved Fightin' Texas Aggies won the Big 12 Baseball crown this weekend. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit in the stands with my family for game 2 of the series against the 'Horns. A good time was had by all.


Of course we got in some good eats and drinks along the way ... College Station is a fun place to visit. Anyone who's interested should head up in June for the 2nd Annual Texas Reds Steak and Grape Festival. Should be a great time!


Summer is starting to kick into gear, and it feels darn good. Only 8 days of school left, and then I'm free for awhile.

moving

Ranked up there in the annals of fun, right next to swim suit shopping and stomach viruses, is moving.

For the past several days, we've been knee-deep in boxes, dust and forced-organization (or a lack thereof). It's just not much fun, but unfortunately, there's really no way around it when you have to do it.

The positives? Throwing stuff out. After hanging on to them for far too many years, there's really no need for me to keep the old blue bathmats and towels from my first apartment. They're gone now. Good feeling. Less bulk. Another positive? A sense of new beginnings usually settles in after a move, when the dust settles and your mind is once again, [semi-] clear.

The negatives? Wow. This time, unfortunately, there are quite a few. Leaving our very first home has been gut-wrenching for me. I've tried to keep a stiff upper lip about the whole thing and not get overly emotional (I've failed miserably, at times) about the bricks, sticks and paint color. In the end, it's the people in your life that really matter. And that's what I'll truly miss the most -- having my best friend far away for the next two years. You just get so used to seeing the faces you love, that when you try and close your eyes and imagine them not there every day, it sort of rips you to pieces. But I'd be lying if I said that it hasn't been difficult entrusting total strangers to pack up our life, load it up into boxes, and ship it to some non-descript building.

I haven't written about any of this much because frankly, I haven't had the heart. Plus, it usually makes me cry, and I'm all cried out. But I'm anxious to get the ball rolling on all of this and get it over with. The sooner Ty leaves, the sooner I can start the countdown for his return. And I'm a master at countdowns! The bottom line is, we'll be stronger after all of this is behind us.

Oh! I forgot to list the MOTHERLOAD of all positives! I won't be driving 2 hours every day to and from work! We're gonna get rich on the money we save in gas alone!

Once again, onward.

flip flops

I love everything about flip flops. I love the way they look. I love the way they feel. I love the sounds they make when I'm walking in them.

You can't help but feel good when you're wearing flip flops. It usually means that life is casual and fun ... and you're somewhere in the neighborhood of summertime. But it doesn't have to be summer, and therein lies the greatness of flip flops -- they work even if you're wearing sweats.

You may wonder why I'm writing about my favorite shoe today. Sadly, it's because the principal at the school where I work has banned flip flops. Yes, I said BANNED flip flops. All I can say is, the guy is clearly out of touch. I work with a bunch of amazing women (and a few men) who arrive at work every day ready to give our kiddos 100%. I mean, come on. None of us are in this career for the money, right? We do it because we love teaching kids.

For the most part, nobody schleps themself into work wearing the shower-shoe type of flip flops. The girls at work dress really cute, often times accessorizing perfectly with a rainbow of stylish and fun flip flops -- leather ones, pink ones, jeweled ones, ribboned ones ... you name it. It's great. We're elementary school teachers, not investment bankers!

So, from here on out, it's adios to my flip flops at work. Which will make them that much more adored by me when I'm at home. Things around here already seem a little big gloomier without that flip flopping music ringing in the halls.

People (specifically, principals), really shouldn't sweat the little things. Life is too damn short.

my Stephenie Meyer journey continues...

Stephenie Meyer's first "adult" novel was released yesterday. My dear, crazy friend B actually took a half-day off of work to stand in line at a Barnes and Noble across town to buy us each a copy. AND ... with these particular books came an extra special prize ... wristbands allowing us admittance into a book discussion this Friday with Stephenie Meyer herself. Yippee!


So, in the mean time, I'm frantically trying to read The Host, the above-mentioned book, that I started yesterday. Unlike the first page of Twilight, which immediately grabbed hold of my entire being and sucked me in to to the entire series for a good week (hey, I had 3 books to read!), my initial reaction to The Host was not as positive. In fact, it actually sort of disturbed me. The book is a sci-fi thriller (totally not my usual cup of tea), and began with some very dramatic events. But I persevered.


I've now made it up to chapter 15, and I'm starting to get into the plot. I just knew in my heart of hearts that dear ol' Stephenie wouldn't let me down! I'm not saying that I love it yet, but it's getting pretty good. However ...


... I sure miss Edward and Bella.

I can't wait to hear about them this Friday! And I'm so looking forward to some girl-time with B as well! Oh, and on top of all the excitement, the Twilight movie trailer was released this week too! Holy crap! SENSORY OVERLOAD! How much Stephenie Meyer excitement can a girl take?! The movie looks awesome! Ty has already promised to take me for my birthday once it's released in December -- definitely something to look forward to during the long months ahead of us.

Gotta run. I have a ton of reading to do. ;)

last week in our home

This is a tough week. It's our last week together as a family in our very first home ... at least for the next two years, anyway.

The movers arrive next week to pack up all of our stuff and ship it to various places across the country. Our furniture and other "big" items will land in San Antonio, where our storage unit is located (gotta love military contracting). Our "personal" stuff, along with anything else I can think of that I might possibly need during the next two years (no pressure there!) will be headed to Houston -- specifically, to my mom's house. And finally, Ty's SAR gear, diving gear, work stuff and clothes will find its way up to La Push, Washington, where he'll be stationed for the next two years.

I'm working every day to stay positive about all of this, but it's really gut-wrenching. I love our little home and all of the little touches that we've added to it over the years to make it our very own. The paint colors on the walls, the plants in the yard, the little details in ARF's very first bedroom -- all of it. I continue to remind myself that all of this has to be happening for a reason. I'm keeping my eyes focused ahead, and not behind.

For a terribly nostalgic and sentimental person, there are about a million reasons to let this week bury me. But you know what? I'm not going to let it happen. Instead, I'm going to enjoy every last minute of the time we have left together in our house on Port Carissa Drive.

a sunny saturday, al fresco

Very few things beat a sunny afternoon on the patio (if you're in the Houston area, head over to Guadalajara), with a cold beer, chips and queso, and the people you love.

Add bright flowers, umbrellas, and a nice breeze into the mix, and you have the makings of a pretty damn perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Time well-spent.

I need a vacation

My husband and I aren't rolling in money. And unless we have some unknown rich relative that's planning on leaving us a fortune, we never will be. We both have careers that define fixed income (he's in the military and I'm a teacher), but we do our best to make smart financial decisions and enjoy life. I'm not saying we're in the poor house or anything, but on those rare occasions when we do have some extra green stuff left over in the ol' account, we try and do the wise thing, like putting it in savings or paying a little extra on a credit card.

How boring.

In the end, it doesn't leave us much (or any) room for exotic destinations, random weekend get-aways, or even a luxury night out on the town. And that's ok. I love my life and all the blessings that come with it. But sometimes, a girl's just gotta get away.

I think I've reached one of those times. Between the looming two-year deployment and separation facing us, the total insanity that goes along with April and May at school, and the ever-changing antics and adventures of raising a two-year-old, I'm rapidly finding myself completely sapped of all energy. Simply put, I'm beat.

Oh, what I wouldn't give to sip a tropical drink with my sweet hubby, while gazing into eachother's eyes (I know, I know ... put down the romance book, Elizabeth) and watching the sun drop over the ocean. Or to have a fine dinner at some multi-star restaurant on the strip in Las Vegas. Or to just spend a quiet afternoon lounging by a pool somewhere, reading a book and listening to the sea gulls ... the smell of coconut hanging in the air. Ahhhh.

Come to think of it, dinner, drinks and some live music somewhere in town wouldn't be too damn shabby either. I'm not at all picky at this point.

A good red wine

Through family suggestions, I recently discovered Malbec wines. Malbec is a red wine made with a white variety of grape, and it's a great wine if you're a usual fan of Merlots or Cabs. Argentina is known to produce the best Malbecs, and I've found a vinyard that's superb (and reasonably priced!), if you're up for trying a new red -- Pascual Toso, a winery founded in 1890. I bought my first bottle at Costco and have since purchased several more. Here are the tasting notes on the Malbec from the vinyard's website:

Deep red color with violet tints. Coffee, violets and blackberris are felt in the nose, which integrate with spices giving a medium-structure harmonic wine impression. Long and rich finish with touches of oak and vanilla. Recommended to match pasta and red meat with light sauces.

Just your friendly-neighborhood wine tip, du jour!

Murphy's Law

So, the first and only time in three years that I've ever been late to work was this morning. It was a series of unfortunate events.

My little guy had an "accident" in his bed (potty training can be a bitch) and needed an unexpected -- from head-to-toe -- scrubbing in the tub. Of course this was a completely novel (and exciting) event for a toddler who's used to nothing but business in the morning. He was totally thrilled to engage in one of his favorite activities first thing in the morning. But he absolutely refused to get out of the bathtub. As a result, I had to battle and pry a kicking and screaming wet two-year-old from the water. The mother-of-all tantrums ensued for a good 15 minutes afterwards. Forget breakfast. We'd have to drive through Micky-Ds.

So at 6:45 a.m., the time I'm usually pulling in to the parking lot at work, I was still in my p.j.s, frantically throwing on make-up and brushing my hair. At 6:55 a.m., my darling little [clean] son and I were driving into the McDonald's parking lot. I kid you not, we were the SIXTH car in line! I sat there for ten seconds or so and decided that it would be quicker to go inside. So as I'm reversing, a big truck pulled in behind me, sealing my fate in the drive-through line. I'd have to wait it out.

At 7:00 I dashed ARF into his school, gave him a quick kiss and heard, "Bye bye, Mommy!" as I was rushing out the door. Ugh. So, so sweet. At this point, I figured that a few extra minutes wouldn't kill me, and I really needed a jolt of caffeine. I pulled into the Starbucks less than a mile from my work and had to wait for over 10 mintues to even place my order. I was late already, so a few extra minutes at this point were meaningless.

Of course, there was only one barista working. She kept yelling for help from "the back," but nobody materialized to assist the frazzled lady. And the woman in front of me in line was ordering two of those big ol' caraffes to-go for the office or something. So she had to get cups, creamer, sugar, etc. to go with her order. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

Did I mention that I have to be in my classroom by 7:15 a.m.? No problem! I'm usually there by 7:00, at the latest! Oh, and the first bell rings at 7:25 -- semantics. I'm always there. But on this special morning to beat all mornings, I'm still standing in line looking at my watch at 7:23 or so. GREAT.

I finally order my java, race to the car, and find that some big honkin' Mack-Daddy pick-up truck is parked as close to my car as humanly possible, without hitting me. I couldn't even open my door. I had to run around to the passenger side, jump in, and shimmy over to the driver's seat, full, hot coffee in hand. Holy crap. I think I laughed at this point.

I pull into the parking lot at work. No parking places available. Of course. I illegally park and race to the gate and find who standing there to greet me? Our oh-so-punctual (and eagle-eyed) administrative assistant/eager-beaver secretary, perched on-watch with a clip board. She nods at me, I nod at her (late, with coffee in my hand ... that was an especially nice touch), and I proceed to calmly walk to my classroom.

Damn that potty training.

God bless Starbucks

If they served breakfast tacos, I'd be in some serious trouble.

I realize that a huge chunk of the population is down on Starbucks. I've heard all about the corporate greed and big business angle of how they do things. And yes, they've made it increasingly difficult for the little indpendent coffee houses (which I'd support, by the way, if one was located around my neck of the woods). But simply put, there are some mornings when I just don't think I'd be able to make it without that steamy morning cup of survival.

Ahhh, sweet java. Make mine a grande, no fat, no whip mocha, please.