wishes and dreams

I wish...my Dad was well, my Mom was happy, my husband's job was safe, my debt was gone, my kid's had more self confidence, my best friend would meet a nice man, my sister would be pain free, there would be no more wars, our country would straighten up, the economy would turn around...
I dream...of winning the lottery, finding a cure for Parkinson's, being recognized and rewarded at work, being published, traveling the world....

Saving money

I love a good bargain. There is such a thrill when you get something super cheap or free! I try to coupon, but I just don't have the patience to organize and sort. I have found some great websites that share freebies without going through endless "offers". Walmart.com gives aways some the very best free goodies, and the site is easy to navigate. heyitsfree.com updates daily and offers a silly sense of humor with its freebies. pumpkinsfreebies.com has a huge list of free stuff, but the offers are never updated. If you have a particular item you use frequently, just go directly to their website and see if there are any offers. You will be surprised by how many companies give their stuff away!

Tweenagers

I have two daughters that are my life. It took me many years to concieve, and I consider them both a gift. But at times, I wish I could exchange them! Just kidding, of course. The drama that goes with raising girls is amazing. Yesterday, my 12 year old came home from school devastated. She had moved her chair in Spanish class, and it made a fart-like noise. Of course, a rotten boy had to point this out, exclaiming that she had farted. The entire class laughed and she was mortified. She attempted to make the same noise again, but alas, the chair would not cooperate. So she was ready to quit school. I told her a 6th grad education would not get her far, so she better suck it up.
We have these sort of tragedies on a daily basis. The school principal and I are on a first name basis, because of my calls to report bullying. I try to stay out of it, but sometimes I have to complain. My 5th grader has "the worst class in the district" (this has been said by several people), and the boys are absolutely horrible. My calls to complain stemmed from 5 boys holding one of the girls down on the playground and biting her! My daughter told me she felt "unsafe" at school because this group of boys likes to play rough and gang up on whoever the current victim is. I was ready to hop on my broom and go whoop some little boys!!
I told my mother that she never told me how hard parenting really is. It is the most gratifying thing I have ever done, but definately the toughest. My sister and I have decided to reward me with a trip to someplace tropical when I get them both sent off to college. I will be done then...right?

winter blahs

I hate this time of year. Spring peaks it's head in just long enough for me to think that winter is over, then here come another blast of arctic air. I long for the sun on my face, grass between my toes, the sound of a bat hitting a ball. I love mornings with my coffee, a good book, and the birds singing to me. I think that it is getting to everyone. The mood around the hospital has been less than pleasant. Please Spring, hurry and arrive!!! For real!!