Summer Bucket List Linky Party

I love when Little Wonders' Days starts up our summer with the Summer Bucket List Linky Party.  This is my 2nd year taking the challenge and it is so heart warming to make these plans (some as a family, some with the kids, some with hubby, and some all by myself) with something for everyone!  So here is our 2012 happenings for this summer:

Our Family Summer Bucket List For 2012

1.  College Tour Week with Little Miss in June.
2.  Spend a week at a hotel in Orlando with ALL of us!
3.  Have fun purchasing things for Big Miss’ new apartment at UCF.
4.  Clean the house, really clean the house.
5.  Bikini Boot Camp for 6 HARSH weeks
6.  Register for my Specialist in Leadership.
7.  Soak in the tub with lots of bubbles.
8.  Teach Julianne to drive.
9.  Read books, books, and more books.
10.Go to the beach.
11.Create some teaching units.
12.Spend as much time with Julianne, since this is the summer before her senior year.
13.Walk on the beach and sink my toes in the sand, in the moonlight!
14.I promise not to go nuts spending money, I will find cheap ways to have fun.
15.Reconnect as a family, any way we can.

Click the Linky Button so you can link up with us!  What does your Summer Bucket List have to offer?

What I Know to Be True

CAUTION:  This is a long read, but you will enjoy the pics at the end, so bear with the rant.




I haven't had a good meaty post in a while, I just hate when life gets in the way of the things that I really enjoy doing.  School has been crazier than any other year and even though teaching is like breathing, I am looking forward to this year coming to an end.  I don't know if the timing of FCAT has had a negative impact for the rest of Florida, but at our school the late date has pretty much made the kids think that school was over the week after that dreaded test.


Anyway,  can you believe that my big college miss has finished her first year of college?  I feel as if we just moved her in and here we are, over, finiti, finished, done.  Big college miss has decided not to come home this summer, as she is working hard at her internship and will be sub leasing her friend's apartment for the summer.  You would think that I would be hysterical and numbingly sad, if so, you are thinking correctly.  When did she become an adult at the next level and start leasing apartments, applying for credit, cooking in her own kitchen, and NOT COME HOME????  WHEN???  I blinked and she continued to grow up more than she ever has.  (insert deep sigh and lots of tears, here)


Luckily, I get to see her lots and lots over the summer (she doesn't know this yet, but that would be the advantage to going to college in the same state where your parents live, LOL).  I also am working on a contract with the state for some common core stuff and we meet in, yes you guessed it, in ORLANDO.  I must let you know that she is coming home for Mother's Day and for Memorial Day weekend, so I think she secretly enjoys the comfort of her first home mommy.  


Little Miss is busy taking SAT's, ACT's, AP exams, being accepted into NHS, becoming captain of the dance team and writing college entrance essays.  Do I dare say it?  Here we go again...  Our first college tour is set for June and then who knows where we will go from there (probably to visit big college miss).  So, get ready my faithful followers for another summer of college trips, a crying mommy, money woes, galactic changes, and all the other things that this blog has to offer.  Counting down to another baby leaving the nest, who thought it would come so soon?  Definitely, not I, that is for sure.


Here is big college miss in her new apartment:

And here is little high school miss before she was inducted into NHS this past week:

I am blessed,
this is what I know to be true.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

What a relaxing week I had this week!  I am so embarrassed to say this and I give all of you permission to laugh snicker, a little bit.  I traveled by myself, for the first time in 22 years!  I actually drove myself to Orlando for a week of nothing but work all day, but ME TIME every night!!!  (except for 2 nights when my big college miss came to the hotel)...
I have to say I was scared at first, but I kinda sorta liked LOVED it.  The best part is that it was in Orlando, so I got to have a beautiful pre-birthday dinner with my girl last night and then drove home today to this:




Little miss high schooler made this for me and it made me smile.  I may keep it up for a while, so I can remember that even though it is nice to get away from the daily grind, coming home is even better.  Hubby surprised me with 2 new Pandora charms, pics will be up later.  I am too tired to move and I have to get back to my little firsties tomorrow.  So I am off to bed.  I have so much to post, but that will wait until the weekend.  I had a great birthday homecoming and I am looking forward to what 44 will bring my way!

End of Semester Break Down #2

College girl called today and broke my heart.  She has always been so hard on herself regarding everything and the pressure of her second semester at college has caused that little girl to resurface.  The voice on the other end of the phone sounded like my little 10 year old crying because she had a fight with her best friend.
She has had a month of success beyond compare and one little grade on one test, has wiped the feeling of success and turned it into negative self talk.  She talked herself into a full blown panic attack during class, heart pounding, face numbing panic.  Her friend had to come get her from class.
All I could do was listen and try not to cry, this was not easy.  I wanted to hold her so badly so she would know the love behind my words.  I wanted to get in the car and drive to her.  I finally broke through the negativity and low self esteem for now.  I pray that she follows my advice, because I don't know if I can handle this every time a semester comes an end.
We hung up and I cried, a lot...  I thought of my OLW:  Release.  I don't know that I am ready to release her to the world.  I know that she is not ready to be released, I could clearly hear that in her words. The crying words of my oldest child called me mommy has left me broken today... the same day that our Lord and Savior left His mommy broken at the foot of the cross.  So yes, I am releasing this, I am leaving this at the foot of the cross because He will calm her during this storm.
This I know to be true... always.

Panic

I can honestly say that since Big Miss left for college in August, I haven't worried all that much (surprised?) until this past Thursday.  She was driving home from her new job and got a little lost, so she called me.  This is the hardest part of kids going away to college, they call you thinking you are going to help them and while you are acting strong, you are slowly dying inside.  I told her to use her GPS and call me when she got home.  I was at work, so I forgot about it and continued on with my day.
At 9 pm, hubby asks if I heard from her today because he texted her and hadn't heard back.  Instant. Heart. Pounding. Fear. Ensued.
I call, no answer... I text, no answer... I start wondering how I will get the news: do they call the local police to come to your house, am I going to hear from one of her new friends that I don't know, is a stranger going to find her phone and call me... you get the picture.
I remembered that I had her friend's number, so I texted her and it took 30 minutes to hear back from her that my Big Miss was sleeping!!!!! I then get a text from Big Miss saying "sorry, I knocked out when I got home" and that was it.
The next day when we spoke, she told me that I need to chill out and relax.  Does she not remember the crazy person who dropped her off in August and cried for weeks?  How can she forget the person who watched the clock her senior year and would twinge when her curfew came and went (even though she never came home more than 15 minutes late)?
I am seriously thinking about getting medicine for my anxiety about this whole college thing.  BECAUSE Little Miss has also decided that she too will leave the nest!!!!!

Catching Up (Warning, it might be a little long...)

College girl was here last week since it was her spring break, which was one week too soon, as we are on spring break this week.  I guess it was okay, she got to spend time with daddy (he took his vacation last week so she wouldn't be on break alone).  They spent their days eating sushi and just talking while high school girl and I drudged through our daily routines.  We tried to act excited when they told us about their day, but it was a stretch to smile, lol.
The girls and I did go to Orlando for dance nationals, so that was so fun!  I think I look forward to that trip more than the dance team does (cue dance mom crazy).  Our girls were 10th in the nation for hip hop and 4th in the nation for medium varsity jazz and team performance.  As a mom it is my bragging rights to give you the link so you can see the videos (only if you want to).  In the jazz routine my daughter is Alice and in the others she is the cute blonde.  Here is the link if you would like to check her and the other members out:


NDA 2012 Competition Videos

In other news, college girl has been given the chance to be a research assistant UCF under a grant with Lockheed Martin!  This mama is so proud of her girls and I know all my lovely bloggers feel that pride right along with me.


Well, I should get back to that "Things To Do On Spring Break" list.  Hmmm.... maybe tomorrow, today is already shot, LOL.
        

Just some pics of the 3 dances and then my 2 cutees!

Taking a Break

I have so much going on right now and I have been a bad blogger!  I am hoping to get back to the fun stuff in my life, but for now I have to get so much done at work, there just isn't time to post about the happenings of my life.  I promise to be back soon, so just hang in there!