ABCs of me

Well, it's been an exciting weekend so far.  Friday night included a puzzle, and on Saturday, we went to the Pinewood Derby.

 One of the interesting things about having such a gap between kids (oldest are 18 and 16, youngest is 7) is the experience of doing things again that I thought I was done with...Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles, Pokemon, Animorphs (and if anyone has any of the Animorphs books they'd like to get rid of, email me and we'll talk! I sold most of a set of those, only to have my youngest child fall in love with the now out of print series), Pinewood Derbies... 

That's J in the middle



Being an "experienced mom", one thing I learned about the Pinewood Derby is that winning only prolongs the experience.  If you don't win, you get to take your car home and play with it. The top four cars, however, go on to "district", where your parents (because it is all about me) sit around a gym all day with a bunch of wild kids who end up in tears because they didn't win that time.  Since learning this, my goal for my children has always been 5th place.  What can I say...I am not a Tiger Mother.

Winners...J, far right.

Despite my quest for wooden-car mediocrity, what you see above you is the smile of a top four finisher.  I will admit to you that, when his name was announced, I was caught by another parent making a face.  OK, OK, I'm happy for him...but I won't be broken hearted if I end up having plans the day of the district competition.  In fact, I may start looking for plans once I find out what day the district competition is.  :)

In the midst of all these diversions, I still had time to fill out the ABC's of me that I read from Kim at (Just) Trying is for Little Girls.  Try to control your excitement.

A) Age: 37

(B) Bed Size: Queen.

(C) Chore You Hate: All of them except laundry.

D) Dogs? 1 labradoodle

(E) Essential Start Your Day Item: Facebook (followed by Diet Pepsi)

(F) Favorite Color: Cerulean

(G) Gold or Silver? Whichever.  I'd rather have new bike gear than either. :)

(H) Height: 5 ft 10 in, finally happy with that after a lifetime of wishing I was shorter bc all the boys were.

D(18), J(7), N(16)

(I) Instruments You Play: Piano and flute in the past. 

(J) Job Title: 1st grade special education teacher

(K) Kids: D is my 18 year old son, N is my 16 year old son, J is my 7 year old son.

(L) Live: Illinois

(M) Mom's Name: Theresa Ann

(N) Nicknames: Kate Bate, Sara Heartburn (my dad used to call me that after Sara Bernhardt...I was Sara Heartburn, the famous bad actress)

(O) Overnight Hospital Stays? Three. Stays for each of my kids' births.

(P) Pet Peeve: Negative people

(Q) Quote from a Movie: Lots of great ones from A Christmas Story:

1) "He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

2) "In the heat of battle my father wove a tapestry of obscenities that as far as we know is still hanging in space over Lake Michigan. "

3) "I have since heard of people under extreme duress speaking in strange tongues. I became conscious that a steady torrent of obscenities and swearing of all kinds was pouring out of me as I screamed. "

(R) Right or Left Handed? Right

(S) Siblings: 3 brothers- 36, 34, 32.

(T) Time You Wake Up? 6

(U) Underwear: VS thong bikini

(V) Vegetable You Dislike: lima beans.

(W) What Makes You Run Late: Grossly (and regularly) underestimating how long it will take me to get ready/get somewhere.

(X) X-Rays You've Had Done: Hand

(Y) Yummy Food You Make: Finger cookies.



(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: chimpanzees