Moving, Vacations, and YouTube...

Hey guys!!

I know it's been forever since I last posted, my apologies. There's been quite a lot going on for me lately and I hadn't managed to find the time to write any new posts [and if I'm being honest, I just hadn't really felt like posting much...] but, no worries...because I'm back!

Hmmm...I wonder what all could have been going on?

Well, moving, for starters. At the beginning of June, I moved into new apartment that's in the same complex I've been living in for the last year or so...want to know something that feels like an absolute exercise in futility? Having to pack up all of your stuff just to move it across a parking lot....yep, tons of fun. But, luckily, I had lots of help from my spectacularly fantastic boyfriend ^_^ Seriously though, without his help, the move wouldn't have gone nowhere near as smoothly as it did. Which brings me to another new development...

Not that I think my boyfriend wouldn't have helped me out anyway, but there was a huge contributing factor that I haven't mentioned yet...

We've officially moved in together :)

Things have been going really well, so far....and I'm sure that they'll continue to do so, he and I get along really well and make an awesome team <3 [I love you, HoneyBear!]

Also, the boyfriend, kiddo, and I got to spend some time at the beach! We went down to Panama City Beach about 2 weeks ago and got a few extremely needed days to relax. Aaaand, I managed to get a bit of a tan! [Kind of a big deal since I hardly ever spend time in the sun]

And that brings me to the last little update that I wanted to tell you guys about:

I'm on YouTube!! The boyfriend and I have started up a YouTube channel ^_^

As of right now, we aren't exactly sure what direction we want our channel to take...but we're thinking it'll probably be where we post videos of us gaming and being nerds, in general. We're planning on uploading an official 'introduction' video sometime this week, but we've already posted a video for you guys to check out!

***Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't seen this week's Game of Thrones episode...(season 6, episode 9)...and for the love of all the old gods and the new...watch the episode!!***

Our first video is of us watching the death of Westeros' most hate-worthy bastard...my boyfriend's reaction is definitely more entertaining than mine [unless you like muppet-esque frowns!]...




Well, there's the video! Please like it and subscribe to our channel...we'll have more content loaded up soon ^_^

Okay, that's all I've got for now...hope you guys have a good day!

What's The Secret???

How do working parents have time to do anything?

Work from 8 am until 2-4 pm [depending on the work load...]. Super fantastic commute of about 45 minutes...can take over an hour if traffic is particularly heinous.

Once I get home, I've got to figure out what to do for dinner and get the kiddo going on his homework. If I get to leave work around 2 pm, then there's usually some time for me to get some stuff done around the apartment or for me to take a quick shower...but this is really more the exception than the norm.

Around 5pm, I start cooking dinner [if I haven't already started]...and I try and have it finished by 5:45 - 6 pm.

From 6 pm until about 7 pm, I'm either cleaning, running errands, or attempting to entertain the kiddo. If I'm lucky...the boyfriend and I will get to play some sort of child-friendly video game for a little bit....usually some game that the kiddo likes to play or watch...

7 pm to 8 pm is time for the kiddo's shower/bath, getting things together for the next school day, and getting ready for bedtime.

Around 8 pm is the kiddo's bedtime...after reading him a story and all that good stuff, it's pretty much 8:30 pm.

8:30.

Most weekday mornings, I get up somewhere between 5 - 6 am...so I'm dragging butt if I don't get to sleep before 11:30 pm.

Maybe I'm just not making the most of the time between the kiddo's bedtime and my own...but it sure doesn't feel like enough time to get anything accomplished!

Sooooo, there's the basic timeline of my weekday....

Any suggestions on how I should tweak it? Or is the real secret that working parents don't ever acutally do anything fun and they just pretend to?? /ponders

Weekend Adventures....

Good morning, guys...

I hope you all had a great weekend...I certainly did! [Not to brag or anything...]

This past weekend, the kiddo and I went to Mississippi with the boyfriend for his family's annual reunion ^_^

We had a blast!

This year, they held the reunion at a plantation turned hunting preserve...it was a really nice place...I wish I had taken a picture of the plantation house...it's proving harder to find a picture of it online than I'd thought it would be...

I'll admit, I was pretty nervous about meeting the boyfriend's extended family [probably no surprise there! /chuckle], but they were all super nice...I felt comfortable around them pretty much immediately, which is a huge thing for me! [Gotta love being socially anxious, right?]

And, aaaaaand, as if the weekend wasn't going fantastically enough...my kiddo had sooooo much fun! There was another boy there around the same age and they were inseparable buddies...he enjoyed playing so much that he's already asking when the next reunion is!

Me And The Boyfriend <3

Soooo, yeah /grin

I had a great weekend with two great guys....gotta say, I'm definitely one lucky girl!

Sheets, Shows, and Shirt Folding...

/Sigh

No time for a full post today...so, how about another 'thinking points' post?

- In my opinion, the Sims 4 isn't really worth the money [or the internet connection that's required for installation!]. Sure, the graphics are better and there are new aspects that have been introduced to make the gameplay a little smoother...but it's pretty much the same as all of its predecessors. Though, I guess I didn't really expect otherwise.

- Are any of you familiar with the Whisper app? There are some...umm...interesting people on there, for sure.

- My sister has gotten me hooked on Gossip Girl. So...much...drama! [And fantastic clothes!]

- My kiddo seems to be having some anxiety about his new school...he's such a precious cinnamon bun and it breaks my heart for me to hear him say that he doesn't have any friends. School hasn't even been in for a full week yet, though. So, I'm hoping things get better for him within a day or two.

- Some people just don't know how to let things go. Very annoying.

- I bought some 'grown up' sheets over the weekend. I'd laughed at the thought of actually considering a thread count before buying sheets...but now I see the error of my ways! My new sheets are the best sheets ever!!!! They're seriously comfy! Here's looking at you, Egyptian cotton!

- Last week, I played through the latest chapter of TellTale's Game of Thrones. I'm distraught at some
of the decisions that the game forced me to make...why, TellTale? Why?!?

- I've been reading "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo...I'm beyond ready to clear all of the junk and unnecessary clutter out of my life! I'm about halfway finished with her book and I'm dying to go ahead and get started implementing her genius methods...but I know I should finish reading it first so that the clearing-out doesn't end up being a half-hearted venture. Whenever you guys get a minute though, you should look-up her suggested technique for folding shirts...this lady is a genius!

Okey dokey...I apologize for the randomness of this quasi-post, but it's all I've got for now. Will post again soon!

Leaving this video here because "Sheets of Egyptian Cotton" is stuck in my head...and I always find myself humming it while shopping for sheets.

It's Been A Long Week....

Soooooo, it's been a week since I've posted...one very long week.

It's been a week full of sickness, doctor's visits, church events, wintry weather, school delays, school closings, and (of course) loads upon loads of work. See? Tons of stuff!

Quick Recap [I may find the time to expand on a few things later...maybe]:

Gesundheit!!

- Thanks to my kiddo's recurring allergy problems [boo, genetics!], he was the unfortunate recipient of an ear infection last week. Luckily, I was able to get him an appointment with his doctor rather
quickly and he was back to himself in no time. As crappy as an ear infection is, we finally found a medication that will be useful when allergy season arrives [several medicines have been tried and failed...thankfully, this one doesn't have 'mood/personality' changes as a common side-effect!].

- My parent's church hosted a weekend for Junior High youth this past weekend. Not knowing exactly what I was getting into, I'd agreed to a pretty significant role [the preacher asked me about it while we were standing in line to get soup and sandwiches after the service a few weeks ago...I was hungry, there were sandwiches....I shouldn't be held accountable for things I agree to when pondering sandwich selection!].

The weekend ended up being phenomenal! I honestly think that I may have gotten more out of the weekend than some of the Junior High kids did [though, I hope that they did get just as much from the weekend as I did...]. At this point in my life, I shouldn't find things like this surprising anymore, and yet...I still find myself in awe of God's capability to use unlikely situations to bring me back from my [mostly self-induced] melancholy haze.

I can already tell that this topic alone could manifest several posts, so I'm just going to roughly summarize: this kids were amazing, spending time with people that I'd forgotten were my friends was something I'd needed for quite some time, hearts were touched, tears were shed, some spiritual lives were awakened for the first time, other spiritual lives received the revival that they'd been sorely needing...songs were sung, skits were performed, and hilarious inflatable sumo suits were worn in the Fellowship Hall! It was a good weekend...

- Alabama got a hefty dose of winter weather over the past week...Hamilton got 12' of snow! Pretty sure that 12' in one day is a lot, even by Northern standards! As could be expected, there was a lot of overreacting to the snow and ice...just about every day this week, school was delayed or cancelled. After the "Snowpocalypse" of last year, I guess the overreaction can be justified. Things are supposed to be much warmer this weekend...highs in the mid- to upper-sixties! Welcome to Alabama, home of the craziest weather patterns ever!

Soooo, that was my week, in a nutshell. Throw in some 3DS Ocarina of Time and Big Hero 6 and that'll do it! Hopefully, I'll be back to posting regularly soon!

Behold! The terrifying wrath of the spurned Cuckoo!

Bible Studies and Benadryl...

Hey guys...hope you've been having a great weekend...

After a fairly rocky start, my weekend has surprisingly taken a turn for the better!

This morning, I decided that I would join a bible study group. My parent's church has held a few of them over the last couple of years, I've always been invited but never joined one. This Sunday marked the beginning of a study on the book of Daniel...again, I was invited...and this time I didn't have a good reason to decline the invitation. [Though, I'll admit that I probably could have made it to previous studies...instead, I let myself make excuses. /sigh yeah...]

If I'm being completely honest, I really didn't want to go to this one either. Mentally, a ran through the gamut of 'reason' to stay home: I was too tired, I need to take care of stuff around my apartment, I don't have anything to wear, I don't think those people actually like me, etc...

But...I managed to find a decent-looking outfit, got ready to go on time, and, quite frankly, couldn't come up with a viable reason to not go. 

One of my favorite gifs ever!

You know what?

I'm glad that I went. Very glad.

I'm hoping that shaking up my routine a bit will help get me out of the rut that I feel like I've been stuck in for so long. 

In addition to starting the bible study, I've decided that I need to put more effort into positive thinking. I feel as if I'm doing better at it [especially when I consider about 6 months ago], but I know that I can be very quick to fixate on the negative. /shrug Old habits die hard...but I think that's alright, just as long as they die...

Oh! I learned something new today...

I learned that my kiddo is allergic to dogs. [Well...I am 99.999% certain he's allergic to dogs]

This afternoon, we went by to hang out with my buddy Mr. C...Mr. C said he was putting together a new desk and asked if we could come and keep him company. Now, Mr. C has two indoor dogs...the kiddo and I have been over there several times, and never really had any problems, allergy wise. Not today, though...

After about 15 minutes, my kiddo was sneezing up a storm and I could hear that he'd developed that lovely little wheeze sound...you know, that little sound that indicates that you're about to have a harder time breathing than you'd probably like. 

At this point, I still didn't think that the sneezing was anything to be concerned about [I've got an allergy to cats, myself...I'm no stranger to the sneeze-fest]...but then my kiddo turned around to face me and his eye was all nice, puffy, and painfully swollen.

Hilarious in the movie, not so much IRL...

Yep. It was a complete and total Hitch moment.

I immediately took the kiddo to the nearest grocery store and got him some Benadryl. Luckily, the allergic reaction subsided fairly quickly...but I guess I need to remember to add 'dogs' to the list of potential allergies...aaaaand I definitely need to take the kiddo to see an allergist this year....Yep.

Alone For The Holidays, But Far From Lonely...

So, it seems I've achieved a minor accomplishment...

Yay! Tree!

I managed to get my Christmas tree up! 

The last couple of years, I didn't end up getting our tree up until a week or so before Christmas...so, it's quite a relief to have it already taken care of.

I decided to go for a red and aqua/teal color scheme this year...I saw a few things on Pinterest using this color combination, and I ended up really liking it! From this particular angle, it looks like there aren't many blue ornaments, but I promise that they're there...I started off with blue, added red, and apparently went red-overboard...it would probably help if I used a camera other than the one attached to my phone...

In addition to the red and blue tree, I set up a small tree in my kiddo's room. He loves it...it's a blue tree, with blue ornaments, and a blue star...he's a big fan of blue...

Another accomplishment of sorts...[maybe it isn't quite right to label it an accomplishment]...

This is going to be my first holiday season without a significant other in about a decade. /ponders Yep...a decade is actually pretty darn close.

You know...I really thought that I would be more bothered by being single on the holidays than I am. Just the thought of it seems daunting. What with the season being pumped full of commercialism and marketing as it is, it's nearly impossible to turn on the television right now without being bombarded with commercials featuring ridiculously photogenic couples doing ridiculously adorable things while the ridiculously handsome man pulls out a ridiculously beautiful piece of ridiculously gorgeous jewelry, to which the ridiculously beautiful woman appears to be ridiculously surprised...then the commercial ends with a ridiculously perfect embrace and then the ridiculously inflated promotional prices. [Sensing a trend here? Maybe?]

But, it really hasn't been that bad. Not bad at all.

I'm finding that there's a lot less stress to be had being single during the holidays.

I don't have to struggle to figure out how to plan multiple family events. I don't have to figure out what on Earth to buy his mother, grandmother, and convict siblings [yeah...that actually applies to one ex in particular...]. I don't have to argue about 'who's family traditions are more important.' [Same ex as mentioned previously] It's just so much easier!

Not trying to say that I'd be absolutely opposed to having a 'better half' during the holidays...there are some things that I'll admit that I miss. But none of those things are worth having to endure a terrible relationship!

Maybe it's that I'm reaching that point of being 'okay' with not dating...I really wish that it had been something that I'd realized years ago, but I guess it's one of those 'better late than never' sort of life lesson.

You tell it, Taylor!

Having my kiddo around definitely helps in this case. I have to be rather selective about who and how I date...whomever I choose to have in my life will also be in my son's life. And that's no matter to take lightly! I now realize that in my dating past, I wasn't as selective as maybe I should have been. I made allowances for behaviors that I shouldn't have and I didn't put my foot down when I needed to...but...I've learned from those mistakes. I've got no choice but to learn from them!

So, I'm just not going to date for a while [not that this is a new development...I've been out of the dating scene for a good while now...]. I've got no plans on pursuing dating until I feel ready for it, and I don't feel embarrassed or unsure about my decision at all! Man, it feels great to not have second thoughts about something for a change!

I'm not the biggest Taylor Swift fan [though that's been changing here lately, as well...she just seems far more classy than the majority of female artists today...], but BuzzFeed ran a list of some of her quotes from this year. There were a few that I really liked and agreed with, but this one is, I feel, very relevant. She's a good four years, or so, younger than me, but she's absolutely right!

Who says that it's only the old who are wise? [Not me...nope!]

Can I Quit Today? Please?

Today has been such a crap day.

Started off this morning with another lovely round of car troubles...I'd already made arrangements to pick up my sister after she'd dropped her car off at the mechanic. Well...her car didn't quite make it there...

Her battery had died [one of the several reasons she'd made an appointment to have her car fixed had to do with her batter not holding a charge] I think three times in all before we finally managed to get her car to the mechanic. Luckily, my dad had an appointment that put him in the same area at the same time as my sister's car troubles...I don't know how we managed to get it done without any injury, but we did! [This included one particularly daring mid-major road battery jumping!] Thank goodness for our awesome Dad and some too-good-to-be-coincidental timing!

Continuing with the mood of the morning...work seemed to have no trouble following suite. The work today wasn't particularly difficult...there was just tons of it. Sheer amount made the workload feel overwhelming. [And there's more of that to look forward to tomorrow...yay...]

After the kiddo and I finally got home this evening, I was looking forward to a nice, relaxing evening...maybe a pleasant evening at home would help temper the less than enjoyable day. Aaaand, I wasn't that lucky.

Some days, this parenting gig is too much to bear.

Some days, the messes are just too big.

Some days...I just wish I wasn't doing this alone. [I very much appreciate any and all help I get from family members, so y'all don't take that statement as an offense, please]

I'm trying to figure out how to handle my kiddo forgetting how to properly count to 12. And he's looking right at a clock, too. It's literally a foot in front of his face. /siiiiiigggggh Guys...please pray for me to have the patience of a saint, 'cause I certainly don't have it right now...

Marvel Universe Live! (Take My Money!)...

Marvel Live!

So, this weekend was a big weekend...

Marvel Live! weekend was finally here!!
[I'd previously written about this...]

After a little debate on which showing to take my kiddo to see,  I finally decided on one and was ridiculously stoked about the whole thing. Seeing my son truly, radiantly happy...I don't know how to explain what it does to me...it brings me a sense of happiness that can't be rivaled by anything else. Nothing else. In those moments, nothing else matters. It doesn't matter that I had a 'bad day at work,' it doesn't matter that I've had three car accidents in one month, and it doesn't matter that I feel like I lose at the parenting game more than I win...none of it matters. In those moments when he's that sort of beaming pure innocence happy...I feel as if I'm not the terrible parent that I feel I must be at times.../deepbreath sorry, didn't mean to steer this post in that direction...

The show was fantastic! I loved it, my kiddo loved it, the kid and mom sitting next to us loved it! And I'm sure whomever receives the profits for the show really loved it. The tickets were 'holy crap' expensive...but to be fair, I didn't have to spring for the front row seats, but I wanted my kiddo to have the best experience possible. That being said, I'm going as a Marvel fan and a parent, here's some things that might be helpful for anyone who plans on seeing the show anytime soon...

The little doodad on the right is call a "Lectro Link" and there's an option to pre-pay for one if you order your tickets online prior to the show, but you could also buy one from one of the many vendor stands selling souvenirs before the show. This bad boy is $25. $25!!! At best, its a very cheaply put together plasticky watch with a few LED lights inside. The big sell point for these things is that they allow for direction interaction for the show...sounds awesome, right? It's not. At least it's not $25 worth of awesome.

At the beginning of the show, the Lectro Link is introduced as a way for everyone that had one to help power up Tony Stark's arc reactor if there should ever be a problem and his power begins to fail...but the whole premise is kind of ruined when Jarvis pipes up and say that the same effect could be achieved by being in close proximity to other devices such as cell phones and digital cameras. /eyeroll

Anyway. The stupidexpensivepieceofjunk lights up whenever Iron Man is in trouble and needs some help. It happens in the show exactly one time. One. And the whole thing was so brief, my kiddo didn't even notice that the thing had lit up by itself until it was turning off. Ridiculously underwhelming. So, parents, save your money. The day after the show, my son's stupid Lectro Link won't even light up anymore when you push the button. The batteries are replaceable, but I'm not going to start the vicious cycle of replacing them every 24 hours. Nope.

Why, hello Spiderman...

Of course all of the souvenirs are over-priced, as is all available food. I paid $14 for the world's most terrible snow-cone...just because it came with a 'collectible' plastic mug. They sell all sorts of stuff emblazoned with "MARVEL LIVE!!" and whatnot. Maybe you'll luck out and managed to sneak past all of the obnoxious cotton candy mongers and toys with flashing lights...but chances of successfully doing so are ludicrously slim, so I suggest that you be prepared to drop a pretty penny on some memorabilia.

As far as seating, I was surprisingly disappointed with my front row experience. I'd been hopeful for some amount of front row interaction with some of the show's characters, but there was none of that. Absolutely none. In fact, I think the only time any of the actors even pretended to pay the crowd any attention was after the show had concluded and they were bowing for their curtain call. I suppose that it's necessary in order to maintain the feel that the audience is watching a live-action comic book...but....eh. I think it would have made a world of difference if they had some time for the actors to meet with the audience before or after the show...kind of like a pit pass sort of thing. Especially if the front row tickets are over $100 and I've just been ripped-off buying the stupid Lectro Link.

Another word of advice: if you have a child that is over the age of 4...do not waste your money sitting on the front row. In fact, I'd avoid the first 15 rows altogether.

Being too close to the stage allows for an up-close look at a lot of production details that small kids probably don't need to see. Sitting so close to the stage, the production staff was obviously visible whenever they needed to sneak in and change out a bit of equipment. Furthermore, from the front row, all of the actor's cables used for flying stunts were right in our faces. The 3 year old sitting next to us wasn't phased by any of this at all...but my kiddo spent a good bit of the show watching the production crew move equipment rather than watching the action that was supposed to distract from said equipment movement. So, save the money that would have been splurging on front row tickets and go ahead and get the more reasonably priced seats that are further from the stage.

All things considered, my son and I had an amazing time. As soon as the show was over, my kiddo was asking me if we could come back and watch it again the next day...so, yeah...it was worth every begrudgingly spent dollar.

And...I got this pretty sweet arc reactor necklace. Was it actually worth the $10 price tag? Nah. It doesn't light up, has a plastic clasp, and I'm pretty sure that it's sized for children rather than adults...but...it's an arc reactor necklace that has Marvel Live! emblazoned on the back! There was no was I was going to be able to walk away from that bad boy! [/sigh the perils of being a Marvel nerd...]

Possible Costumes

Now that it's October, I've been spending some time thinking about Halloween...

Minecraft Zombies!!

My kiddo changes his mind about his costume just about every other day...right now it's between dressing up as Venom or as a Minecraft zombie. I have no idea how the sudden interest in Minecraft zombies came to be, but I don't really mind it. 

I haven't played much Minecraft, and when I did, it was the free version for the iPhone...so, yeah. I don't quite get the Minecraft hype, but maybe I'll get around to playing it one of these days.

Rainbow Dash

Last year, I dressed up as Rainbow Dash...

it was rather cute...I found a rainbow wig and then bought the costume set from Hot Topic [it came with a set of ears, wings, and a pin-on rainbow tail...]

The picture of the girl on the right is one of the pictures that I used as a source of ideas for my own rendition of the costume...but whereas her costume is really cool [there's another picture that shows the jacket more clearly...] my costume was rather hastily put together, and not as awesome. But, my kiddo loved it and we had a good time going trick-or-treating, so I still count it as a win!

This year, I was thinking about giving another cartoon character a shot. The kiddo and I watch a lot of cartoons..a lot. [I'd like to say that I watch cartoons because of my son...but I'd be watching them even if I didn't have a child, soooooo yeah...what? I like cartoons!] 

One of the newest shows that we've started watching regularly is Disney's Gravity Falls. In my opinions, it's not always suitable for young children [it can have some pretty spooky moments], but as long as an adult is supervising, it's alright. It's kind of like Scooby-Doo but with a paranormal atmosphere. I started watching the show with my son mostly out of concern that the show was too scary for him, but then I got sucked into it, too! As new paranormal elements are introduced and expanded on, I talk to him about what's going on in the show and make sure he understands that it is, in fact, make-believe. It seems to have worked, so far...there hasn't been any waking up with bad dreams of gnome monsters or skin stealing shapeshifters...

Anyway...

Dipper Pines

I'm considering dressing up as Dipper Pines from the show. I think it'll be pretty easy to do and I've already found a few good cosplay costumes to use as a guide. [Just in case you're wondering why I'd choose to dress as Dipper and not his twin sister Mabel, the reason is two-fold. 1) I just cut my hair short, so it would be easier to be Dipper. 2) Mabel wears a lot of sweaters...I'd burn up! October still isn't really cold here in Alabama...]

I've been trying to convince my kiddo that we should go dressed as Dipper and Mabel [if this were to happen, I'd of course let him be Dipper and I'd suck it up and be Mabel] but he's not really into the idea. Oddly enough, I got the exact same deadpan reaction when I presented the idea to my sister...

I'm debating on whether it would be better to make my own hat or to buy one of the ones that I've found on Etsy...and where can I find one of those vests??

/shrug it's still a month before Halloween...I'm sure I'll be able to put it together.

What do you guys think? Does Dipper seem like a good choice? 

Progress Reports and Haircuts...

Yesterday, my kiddo brought home his very first progress report card. I really don't see much point in sending home report cards for kindergartners, but I guess it's just part of the whole "getting acquainted with school" process.

Smiley faces are 'good,' right?

I should probably clarify my meaning in what I just wrote:

I don't see much point in sending home kindergarten report cards because there are no grades! Instead of grades, there are a few of the concepts that they're working on and a note on whether your student is performing at a satisfactory/unsatisfactory caliber. Soooo...yeah...

Though, I'll admit that I'm a little bit concerned that my kiddo received 2's on a few of the check boxes at the bottom. He's not quite '3 material' when it comes to finishing tasks in a timely manner and listening to instructions the first go around...

I'm kind of at a loss on how to handle this sort of thing...

As a student, especially in elementary school, I was such a 'people pleaser' of a child, that I really don't remember ever bringing home any progress reports that weren't absolutely dripping with comments on how I was "such a delight to have in my class!" or the "ideal student!"

Okay, my memories may be a little bit biased...

But seriously. What's the best way to handle this sort of thing? I don't think that he's being a terrible student, really, but I know he isn't applying himself the best he can...Ask the kid anything about the Avengers, Spider-Man, or Star Wars! He'll dazzle you with how much his 5-year old mind can retain! But ask him to sit down and do some handwriting or reading and you'll probably wonder if English is even his primary language...

A good portion of me is cautious about being overly strict here...A product of a military father and a "tiger mom," I know what can happen when you press a child too hard. [Love you, mom and dad, but you know I'm right...] However, I also know what can happen if you're too lenient and a child perceives that there are no consequences or no incentives to do their best...or worse, the child can feel like the parent simply doesn't care about how they're doing in school and, thus, doesn't care about the child...

/Sigh Where's that nifty little guidebook that was supposed to come with becoming a parent?!?

Parental calamity aside, I've had another pesky thought swimming around my head a good bit lately:

I want a hair cut!! [I blame my cousin for this!! She mentioned wanting to get one a few days ago, and now I REALLY WANT ONE!]

Why is this a big deal? Because, I don't want just a trim or an addition of a few layers...I'm seriously jonesing to get another pixie cut. I present to you, my options!





Option 1:
I definitely wouldn't go blonde [it just isn't a color that I like for myself], but I like the overall shape of this cut. I also like the medium-length-ish bangs!

Option 2:
Now, this color is one that I adore! I know I've mentioned in previous posts that I have a love for red hair...this picture combines that fantastic red with an amazing cut...yes, please! This cut has longer bangs...more styling possibilities?

Option 3:
As seen on the fantastic Anne Hathaway, pixie cuts also look fantastic on brunettes...pretty sure that my natural hair color isn't the same lovely shade as hers, but it's pretty close...closer than red, anyway. This cut has shorter bangs than the other two.







Option 4:
Yes, I know this one is a bob and not a pixie...but I think it my be my compromise cut. It's still a good bit shorter than the current shoulder-length hair I've got going on right now, but isn't as dramatic. I'm also thinking that not going quite as short would give me the change of pace that I'm looking for without the commitment that comes with a pixie cut...





I'm planning on giving the whole haircut situation a good couple of weeks to think about...partly because my cousin and I have an unspoken agreement to get dramatic haircuts together, and partly because I need to tap-dance around my finances a bit to make sure that I can spare the money required for an excellent cut and color...definitely not a job for Great Clips!

What do you guys think? Which haircut would you choose?

Dangerously Bored...

It's Friday, again! Congratulations on making it through yet another work/school week...I should have a relatively short work day, myself...my parents, the kiddo, and I are headed down to PCB for the weekend. Now, I know that some of you are having those "wow, that sounds awesome! You're so lucky!" thoughts, but I assure you, they aren't warranted.

My parents own a few condo units down there, so our visits are far more condo maintenance and very little actual relaxing. Personally, I always feel like I need a vacation from out PCB 'vacations.' [PCB = Panama City Beach, FL...just in case you were wondering...]

16+ hour audio book?? Yessss!

So there's the drive to look forward to this afternoon...I actually don't mind the drive all that much, I rather like long drives, especially if there's good company. Or if I happen to be traveling by myself, there's not much better than a good audio book or mix list to car-dance along to. Aaaand I know I'll get picked on for saying I like audio books...but there isn't a safe way to play a gameboy and drive yet, so listening to a book is pretty much the next best thing!

So, last night, I was sitting in my apartment just doing my usual over-thinking stuff...and I noticed an alarming trend to my thought patterns...said patterns go something like so:

My actual ear! Before losing
the two upper piercings :(

"Hmm...you know, I really like my latest ear piercing. And you know, it really didn't take all that long to heal and it didn't really give me any problems...it didn't hurt much at all, and I did end up having to take out my other two cartilage piercings...why don't I get another one? Yeah! Why not?!? I should absolutely go and get another piercing!! But what would I get? etc, etc..."

This red is an acceptable hair color,
right?

"It's been a while since I've dyed my hair...how long has it been? At least 6 months...at least. You know, I really like dyeing my hair! Why has it been so long since I've dyed it? Maybe I should dye it again...like today...or now! What color should I do? I really want to dye my hair some funky color...but then I'd get funny looks from all the teachers and parents at my kiddo's school...I don't want him to feel awkward or anything because he's got "that weird mom with the funky hair colors"...so, brown. But brown's so boring! Ooooh! Red!!! Red's not that outlandish! etc, etc.."

Do you guys see what's going on?

I'm bored.

Not your everyday, 'there's absolutely nothing to watch on tv,' sort of bored. The 'I'm not exactly thrilled with certain aspects of my life right now...I need a quick and easy change' sort of bored. The kind of bored that will result in additional piercings, unnecessarily colored hair, short-lived hobbies, and purchasing way too many home decor items.

The downfall of being so painfully self-aware is that I know what's happening, I know exactly what's happening. And because I know what's happening, I am unavoidably obligated to do something about it, which will require me making changes to my daily routine.

"Hey, weren't you just saying a few posts back that you felt like you needed to make some changes anyway?"

Well, yeah...but that doesn't make it any more pleasant to do.

So the question is, where to start? Money management? Eating healthier? Exercising more...or any, rather?

What?!? I'm in my fort, I can't hear you!

I know, I know...I'm an 'adult' and need to act as such. And I will. But...I don't wanna!! /sigh

Anyway...I hope you guys have a good weekend!

/wistfulsigh

Social Klutzing...

So, last night, the kiddo and I went to that fundraising event that his school was hosting.

I thought they had lovely cups!

Overall, I thought that the place had decently good food. Everything was a touch overpriced, though. I'll say that they're chocolate cake certainly was delicious, but I can't think of any sort of cake that should warrant a $4.50/slice price.

As predicted, we ran into one of the kiddo's classmates and his parents. Also as predicted, I was nothing short of spectacularly awkward. /facepalm

I decided to be bold for a change and attempt to be outgoing when I introduced myself to the classmate's parents...the kiddo and I had just finished eating, so I decided to tell them something along the lines of, " Oh boy, you guys are in for a treat! We just ate, and let me tell you, the food was fantastic! Like, really, really good food! But, I don't know, have you guys ever eaten here before?"

At this point, the mother nodded and said that yes, they have eaten here before. Many times, in fact.

Awkward Distraction Dance!

And that's all it takes to throw a monkey wrench in the barely-functioning machine that is the part of my brain that fuels social interactions. Whether warranted or not, I start to internally panic. [These are the rather odd things that go on in the mind of someone with social anxiety!] 

I mumble something about it being great that they come here often, and then say that it was nice to meet them and awkwardly shuffle about to grab the kiddo and sprint to the safe haven that is my car...but of course, not before over-excitedly telling them that I was glad to meet them...at least three more times. Soooo much facepalm. 

Oh well. All that really matters is that the kiddo and I had a good time, we had good food that served towards a good cause, and now I know that my little one is making friends at his new school [which makes me one incredibly relieved and proud mama!].

Elsewhere in Gotham City...

My new computer was just delivered! Look forward to computer hi-jinx in upcoming posts! 

What's the Word, Hummingbird?...

I don't really have a particular post topic in mind today, so I'm going to update you guys on some of the stuff going on with yours truly!

/thumbs up  Awesome!

I'm still working on getting my car situation resolved. I'm supposed to be getting a check from my insurance company sometime this week...fortunately/unfortunately, this time of year is right around the time car manufacturers release next year's models. This could work out in my favor, some of the 'old' models will probably go on sale. On the flip side, if I buy a 'new' car, say either 2013 or 2014 model, then in a few weeks, it could potentially be a 'two-year old car.' You know...if you're looking at it as a 2013 and there's a 2015 sitting right next to it...it won't matter that my car would be just as new as the 2015, to the rest of the world it's already two years old. Personally, it wouldn't matter to me that much...but I'm pretty sure that it would become important if I ever had to re-sell the car. So, the car hunt continues...sort of...it will probably pick back up again in a few days after I have the funds to make car shopping sort of feasible.

My kiddo's school is having a fund raising function tonight! A local restaurant is donating a portion of all of their proceeds from 4pm-9pm today, so that's pretty cool. It's a little place that I've been wanting to try out for some time now, so that'll be fun. I'm thinking that I will probably run into some other parents while I'm there, so I should probably start warming up my risorius muscles! [Not sure where the risorius muscles are? Hint: I bet you use them everyday!]

Risorius is highlighted!

The risorius muscles are responsible for the 'fake smile.' You know, that one that can be found in millions and millions of selfies, yearbook photos, work-related meetings, and dysfunctional family gatherings!

Umm, what else...

Wow...I'm so used to having a million things going on, I feel like I must be missing something whenever I can't immediately think of a dozen things that require my attention...

A 'Bloater'...great. /cry

Haven't been gaming much lately [okay...not at all, actually...], but seeing as it's because I'm spending time with the kiddo and on getting stuff for work done, I don't view that as a negative at all. Plus, this big hunk of nasty is the next thing I have to face in The Last of Us...last time I played, I left Joel in an especially precarious situation...no Clicker-killing shanks, no stealth-killing arrows, and about 6 bullets...it's not gonna be pretty.

I'm still watching Fairy Tail...It's still pretty good. I am a bit bummed that I finished all of the episodes that Netflix had to offer. There's more seasons available on HuluPlus, but they've got all those darn commercials! I'm seriously considering canceling my Hulu account and starting on one Crunchyroll. I've been told that if you're a paid subscriber to Crunchyroll, that there aren't any ads...can anyone confirm/deny this? [Read: I'd  like to know but don't really want to look it up...]

Okay, guys...I think that just about brings most things up to present...I'll let you know how the fund raising thing goes!

Okaythanksbye!!

Friday Updates...

Good news! My kiddo's first day of kindergarten was a success! Morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up both went off without a hitch, and he survived his first lunch in a cafeteria. He even said that PE was fun! I'm so glad that his first day of "big kid school" went well for him, I'm hoping the rest of the school year continues to go well...definitely makes all of the aggravation leading up to the beginning of the school year worth it. His school reminds me of some the better schools that I went to as a child. (Being an army brat, my family moved around a good bit. I went to about 10 different schools for kindergarten through finishing high school and have seen my share of really good schools and not-so-good schools...) I signed up for all sorts of parent-volunteer opportunities...guess I'm going to be the mom that shows up for everything! I know that will drive my kiddo crazy when he gets older, but I'd much rather be involved than have no clue what's going on with my child's education. (Knowing that he's going to a great school makes even the traffic more bearable!)

Holy Cow! Morning School Traffic!

Ouch! :(

Elsewhere in Gotham City...I'm supposed to find out the fate of my car sometime this afternoon. My insurance company is sending one of their agents to inspect the car to see if it's going to be deemed fixable or if it needs to be totaled. Everybody please cross their fingers that it comes back as fixable...I won't be able to afford a car to replace my poor Saab if it isn't fixable.




Found out yesterday that the motherboard in my personal desktop computer is most likely fried. Luckily, my parents have ordered me a new computer for my birthday (read: computer for work stuffs) otherwise I'd have to add "fix computer" to the list of expensive worries that have been plaguing me here lately. But the lack of computer, both laptop and desktop, are certainly to blame for the delay of the birthday post I've been promising. I've written posts from the iPad before but it's terribly inconvenient for posting pictures, links, and videos. The post is coming though...eventually. Maybe I should write snippets of it whenever I can and then copy and paste them together...darn computers.

Kindergarten And The Green Arrow...

Hey Guys! Hope you're having a good morning so far...

Just dropped my kiddo off for his first day of "big kid school" not too long ago. Everything went just as smoothly as I hoped it would, no complaints about the actual drop-off at all! The parents were told several times that we are not to accompany our children into the school, and I was a bit worried that my kiddo would freak out about having to walk into the relatively unknown building all by himself, but he did great! I can't wait to pick him up this afternoon and listen to all the stories that he's going to have about his first day!

I did one of the overly-sentimental mom things and made a chalkboard sign for his first day of kindergarten.

Not actual photo of my child! 

It's got today's date on it, says his "first day of kindergarten," and then lists some of the his favorite things right now, what he wants to be when he grows up, and stuff that I'll want to remember such as his height and weight. I plan on making a similar sign on the last day of the school year, I think it will be fun to see how much he changes during the year!

As some of you may have read, yesterday was my birthday. I survived another year! Woohoo! I intended to write a post summarizing the past year with some witty humor and profound wisdom sprinkled in, and then I managed to wreck my car...so, yeah. I will still write the post, but probably not until later on tonight. 

However, I do want to mention that I finally finished watching the first season of Arrow! I started watching the show (based on the DC comics character the Green Arrow) about a month or so ago at the suggestion of one of my buddies, and I'm helplessly hooked on the show.

The show has an amazing cast!

The first season of the show chronicles Oliver Queen's return from being stranded on an uncharted island for 5 years. His family had thought both he and his father to be dead for the years Oliver was missing, and unfortunately Oliver's father does not make the return trip home with his son.

The first couple episodes of the show were a bit hard to get through, but I think that's pretty common with most shows. It takes a while to get truly interested in the story line and the development of the characters. I'll be the first to admit that I had written off Oliver Queen's character as a Bruce Wayne knock-off, but I'll happily admit that I was wrong and that the Oliver Queen/Green Arrow story line should definitely be given a chance.

 Stephen Amell stars as the show's Oliver Queen aka the Green Arrow aka the Hood. In my opinion, he does an excelled job bringing the character to life and portraying the mind-boggling amount of growth that is experienced by Oliver at different points in the story arc.

Plus, you've got to admit he's certainly easy on the eyes...not saying that him being devastatingly handsome is the only reason to watch the show, but it certainly doesn't hurt!

As far as eye candy goes, I'm also a fan of Oliver's best friend, Tommy Merlyn, as well as the actor who plays him, Colin Donnell. Tommy holds his own as Oliver's best friend, most of the time is equally funny, charming, and witty. And he's got the whole dark hair/blue eyes combo going on...gets me every time.

Another character that I have come to love is Felicty Smoak played by Emily Bett Rickards. Felicity has a very minor role at first, she works in the IT department of Queen Enterprises, and both Oliver and his step-father, Walter, approach Felicity for help on various tasks. I absolutely love Felicity's character! She's brilliant (at some point in the show you learn that she's a MIT graduate), she's funny, and painfully awkward. Some of the interactions between Felicity and Oliver are so awkward, you'll literally cringe...for example:

Yikes...

No worries, Felicity...I'm right there with you. 

So, if you haven't checked out Arrow yet, I suggest that you do! The complete first season can be found on Netflix, and I know that some of the second season can be found on Hulu...I'm going to see if I can find the complete second season online somewhere. 

I'll leave you guys with this small montage of ridiculously adorable pictures of Oliver and Tommy (Stephen and Collin) hanging out together. Seriously, I love these two! Add them to the list of celebrities that I need to meet in real life...

I Need An Adult...

My son's new school had one last registration confirmation event last night. Over the course of the summer, I had to go to the school to confirm our address three times! Three! I understand that I'm registering him for a school in a desirable school district, but c'mon...is it really necessary to have three separate confirmations?

After proving for the third time that our address is indeed our address, the kiddo and I got the chance to walk around the school and find his classroom. The school is huge! Well, huge in my opinion anyway...(Probably a good time to point out that I graduated from a really small high school) I ended up having to ask someone for directions to the kindergarten hall. Thankfully, I wasn't the only parent who had to do so.

After struggling with the pre-paid bundle of school supplies that I had purchased during one of the several registrations, we had to sit through a "kindergarten question & answer" program... I understand that there's a ton of information for parents who have a new kindergartners, but we were sitting there for almost two hours! *grumble grumble grumble*

Overall, I'm very happy with the school that my kiddo is going to, and I'm pretty sure that I will end up loving his teacher and making new friends...it's just hard to remember all of the positive things when I'm staring at a sheet of items to buy for the classroom and the list of required fees...

Tomorrow is the official "meet the teacher" day, and I'm sure I'll be full of opinions and you guys will get to read all about it...I bet I can even find memes! You guys enjoy your Tuesday...

Time...

Time stops for no one...

At times, the unstoppable passage of time can be our biggest enemy. In other situations, time can be our biggest ally...it all comes down to your individual perspective of the situation at hand.

Lifelong 'frenemy,' time, has brought another chapter of my life to a close. My little one finished up his last day of preschool yesterday...it's most definitely a bittersweet occasion. I'm without a doubt excited for my son as he starts kindergarten next week. New school, new experiences, new opportunities...he will take his first step into his new school next week, the beginning of a lifetime of learning. A part of me cannot wait for this new leg of our lives to get started.

What will his teacher be like?
What will his classmates be like?
What kind of student will he be?
Did I choose the right school?

And then, of course, my thoughts can't help but turn to myself and the myriad of changes that are also going to occur in my own life as a result of him starting kindergarten. For the most part, I am overjoyed and welcome these changes. Finally, I'll get the opportunity to meet new people. Finally, I will get the chance to start working more and more independently. Finally, I will get started on my 'adult life' and no longer be stuck in an endless rut of feeling like I'm going nowhere.

Yet, despite all of these excited changes, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness when I picked up my little guy from his preschool yesterday. This was it. The last time I would ever drive to that familiar building to pick him up. The last time I would go to his cubby and pick up his things. Never again will I open that classroom door and see his beaming face as he exclaims, "Mommy!" and runs into my arms with the worlds most perfect hug and kiss. Gosh...I hope this keyboard is waterproof :(

So it begins. My baby boy is growing up, just like he has been all along. I'd better be careful, one day I'll take too long to blink and a young man will be standing where my kindergartner is supposed to be. Time certainly has a was of sneaking up on you when you least expect that it will.

But I will do my best to accept all the inevitable changes with as much optimism, patience, and grace as I can. What better opportunity would there be to close all of doors to painful things of the past?

Now, more than ever, I need to be an example for my son. I need to show him what it's like to be a responsible adult, a dutiful follower of Christ, and a loving and caring person. I have to prepare him for the road that lay before him and the hardships and joys along the way. Even more challenging, I have this daunting, herculean task meant for two people, and I'm facing it by myself. Failing or faltering is not an option, my son's growth and development as a person is what's at stake. To be honest, the gravity of the situation is overwhelming at times and I feel the crushing pressure trying it's best to break me down...and sometimes it does. Sometimes, I feel like all I can do is sit and cry about how unfair things can be.

And I think it's alright to cry sometimes. It's good to embrace those feelings, otherwise they'll always be there lurking beneath the smiling surface awaiting their break free and wreak havoc in the most destructive of ways. I know that I need to have faith that there is a divine plan with good things in store for both myself and my son.

That being said, I know that I have some loose ends to tie up and some doors to close. I intend to put an end to hurtful, toxic habits that could jeopardize a happy future for my little family, the first of which is Facebook.

I know that there are plenty of positive, constructive ways that the social networking site can be used, but I think you'd agree that there are just as many of the opposite. So many people become so enthralled in this virtual world, that their actual lives suffer as a result. There was an article that I stumbled on the other day that stated that Facebook was among a growing list of causes of divorce. Facebook. It's just a silly website you guys! People are becoming so dependent on this virtual world that we've created in the last decade or so, it's scary. I've done it before, and although it is hard at first, deleting a Facebook account is one of the most freeing actions a person can take. You'll be amazed, and likely ashamed, when you realize how much time you actually spend on those sorts of sites...precious time that was used to stare at a computer screen or smartphone rather than things that are truly worth your time...like watching your children grow.

I don't know exactly when, but I will deactivate my account sometime before Monday. I will continue to write posts for this blog, and anyone who would like to read it might want to save a shortcut to my blog as I will no longer have a Facebook wall to post up my new blog entries. Most people that I personally know already have my phone number or email address, but if you need either, let me know!