Game On

Hmmm...Let's see. February 15th was the last posting. What in the world could have slipped in to my life about that time that might have prevented keeping up with this thing? Could it be:
1. That's about the time that MAP preparation becomes quite intense, on top of the job of maintaining the regular curriculum the rest of the day
2. Entire family took 6 weeks to fight the long-standing flu that was conveniently a non-covered strain by the flu shots we took
3. House was finished being framed, and so the decisions, price comparative shopping, and more intensive involvement was required
4. Wasn't there an ice storm?
5. Neighbor whose wireless internet service I was bumming got evicted (I never said I was perfect)

Honestly, there's really no excuse for the few minutes it takes a day - or week - to log in and write a few lines down. So, with my insomnia that hasn't seemed to fade since I'm staying home, I will do my best to find time to update, but, as the title says, No Guarantees!

I honestly do wish I had been a better documenter over these months. They were filled with changes and new experiences for the kids, and ohh... it just sickens me to think of all the funny moments I thought I wouldn't forget that I never wrote down. So, if you know of any, just send me a keyword and it will jog the memory, hopefully.

So there is no way I can pick up where I left off, but I can start with what is most fresh in my memory, and as I remember missed events worth writing about, I'll add them.

Fresh memory #1: Black Friday

I am not usually a participator in the Black Friday festivities. This year, however, there is quite obviously less stress in my life being a temporary SAHM (stay at home mom - although I hear that the acronym has other meanings...). I usually take one of the holiday days off and spend it in my classroom gearing up for the last month of the semester and decorating for the 'Winter Holiday'. This year, however, I partook in the 'wake your butt up at 2:40 am and stand in line at Kohl's with the other people who are shaking their heads in disbelief that they are there or else filled with amazing amounts of shopping adrenaline' route.

I had been tempted to head to the midnight madness at the outlet stores, but I knew I was gonna need sleep for the Kohl's and Sears rampages, and opted out. Maybe next year. My friend Ginger said it was worth the trouble, but not to go in the opening moments. It's all good at 1:00 am.

It was a surprisingly good experience, all the way around. We filed into Kohl's like regular, polite people - not the scrambling stampede I had pictured. I was with my very experienced friend, Becky, who had given me a number of tips the night before including to have lists attached to the adds in my purse. We hit the door, and she's gone - yelling out, "I've got my cell phone!" It was hilarious. My hand reached for the strap of the last shopping bag available (and we were not too far back in line) as I hear a desperate cry from behind me, "GRAB THAT BAG!!!" She wasn't talking to me. I got a little surge of excitement, and a rare streak of competitiveness, and realized the bag was entangled with another that someone ahead of me was trying to grab. She had a very intense look on her face and I got tickled at the entire situation. I had gone into the day thinking if I come back with nothing on my list, oh well. I'm only out a few hours sleep. She hadn't. I laughed harder, and in this, somehow got the bag. A few passersby were observing the incident and I felt them looking over it like vultures - "Perhaps NEITHER of them will get the bags!!! They're mine!!" I got the bag, and headed to toys.

Just this week, C was talking about her latest test, and that she got 100%, and observing that when she REALLY REALLY likes something, she gets a good grade without trying. We hadn't yet seen the test, and asked which test she was talking about. She said her science test. I said, with shock, "WHAT science test?" I'm a little bit obsessive about study guides, and hadn't seen one come home. She said, "The one about the states in the region." Oh, geography. I calmed down. She said she loves science-geography :) and wanted to know what kind of jobs they get. "Ummmmm.....archaeologists?"

That leads me to the first must-have toy, the interactive Leap Frog Globe, that had a significant price reduction. However, they were on the TOP SHELF. Panic set in, and as I stood there, Becky and a stranger approached, both wanting one as well. There were four. I dashed around looking for a clothes pole, to no avail. Then, I spotted mister tall, white and handsome, being a good husband, shopping with his wife - who looked a bit miffed when I approached him and asked him to get down three of those globes, which he did with ease. Oh, you tall people. The wonderful world you live in. So, success! We have globes!

That's all I needed so I headed to check out, and walked right up to the cashier. No problem. Hung around the front door waiting for Becky. A little too much time had passed, I figured, for her to find the fisher price digital camera she wanted, & wondered if all was well, so I called. "I can't find that (darn) camera ANYWHERE!" Just so happened that the general manager is my neighbor, & had been standing there talking to me. I asked him about it, he walkie talkied, and had a girl walking it up from the training room within minutes. Of course, this gentleman beside me overheard his request and stuck to me like glue, expressing how he was only there for that camera and really needed the camera. He even had memorized which page of the ad the camera was on: 17. Becky sensed the truth, that I was feeling a little pulled to guilt, and she assured me I needed to get rid of that feeling.

No one goes to the south side Wal-Mart expecting to get what they want on Black Friday. It's the busiest Wal-Mart - anywhere, maybe? I had zero hope. But we were in the parking lot already. We had planned to go to our hometown WMs on the way home as to avoid the popular WM, but went ahead and thought what the heck, let's just see. WOW. It had people, but NOTHING like I thought it would. I was #10 in line for the 50" plasma for J's birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, Easter, Valentine's, and then next year's birthday & Christmas - oh, and my Christmas. They don't usually even carry that brand, they told me, but brought it in as a little catnip to dangle. A little scary buying something that pricey sight-unseen, but it was literally 40% of most stores' price, and up to 50% off on a couple of sites on the internet that I checked. 90 return policy didn't hurt, either. Got everything we wanted - except for the $2.00 Christmas Vacation DVD.

On to McD's for a refueling - or maybe just the first fueling (it was only 5:25 at this point!) Almost went deaf due to the teenaged boys behind us and their ultra-cool system. I wonder sometimes if the passengers in those thumping cars might have something to say, but has to wait until they get to the destination to express any thoughts or opinions.

Sears was the next stop. Walked in, got more bargains that you can believe for $90. Two pair of 'boots with the fur' for C, a karaoke system with instruments for L, 2 adorable winter coates for the kids, pjs & matching slippers for me, and several very (surprisingly - not a Sears clothing fan, really) cute clothes for C. Crazy. And would you believe their service ROCKED! Not to mention they had the tv on display that I had just purchased for 20% more as their short term doorbuster price and it looked beautiful. I felt better.

Hmmm..did a little more mall shopping. Fun, fun, fun. Shopping while the sun comes up. Tttthhhheeeennnn wwweeee sssttaarrrrttteeeddd ttoooo ssssllllloooowwww dddooowwwnn. We needed a pick-me-up. Off to meet Angie at a local winery for muffins & mimosas - but not before we made one more stop at another WM for a couple of forgotten items. We followed up the stop with Angie with a real meal from Panera, and then Becky followed me out to the house with the tv. Happy Birthday, you need to unload your present from her car because I can't, Jason :) Luckily, Uncle Travis was there, so it all worked out. They didn't seem to huff and puff nearly as much as the WM guys.

Will I go next year? Don't think I'll know until the night before. But I will say it was a much more enjoyable experience than I had predicted. I love surprises!! Except for overdrawn notices.

This return to blogging post got kind of long, but again, I have those fast fingers thanks to 15 years of piano, so it flies. I bet you read fast, though.