MAKE IT HAPPEN Monday

I accidentally had the caps lock on when I typed the post title but I like it like that.  So it's STICKIN.

As I said a couple weeks ago, I don't want goals in my life that I claim are important to fall by the wayside due to poor planning.  This is where I am going to check in with my progress toward going back to school.

My goal for last week was to reapply for admission (I've taken a class there before) to Community College.
(I'm not naming names on here.)
Well, today I did that.. mostly.  I filled out the online form to get the ball rolling and then was unable to actually log-in to my account so I could see where to go next.  After cringing and calling tech support for help, I was told that their "system" would be down all day and I should log in tomorrow.

Really?

As the wife of an IT professional -- who worked at more than one university, I might add --I find it baffling that this would be acceptable.
A whole day?  A whole day where no one has access to their school account.  And they told me like they were telling me it was Fish Stick Day in the cafeteria -- no biggie.

So, shame on me for waiting until today to officially apply.  I already contacted WKU for my transcripts, though, because it can take a week or so to get those.

So, this week I aim to finish applying and request my AP scores.

Ah, Community College.  May your mediocrity flow over me like the dirty bath water it is.


Pssst... How are the rest of your goals coming along?  Kelly? Melissa?  Anyone else want to share?

BabyCakes-less Monday Mornings

Today was BabyCakes' first morning in her PMO (Parents' Morning Out) at BigBoy's old preschool.

Every Monday from 9:00 to 11:45 will be MINE.  Well, except for the one Monday a month I will volunteer in BigBoy's Kindergarten class.

I plan to do fun stuff like dental cleanings and yearly ob/gyn appointments during this time so I can't wait!

When we left for "school" I had no worries about separation anxiety or her behavior while she would be there.  We've always had good experiences with the church nursery and the child care area at the gym.

BigBoy and I walked her in (it turns out he doesn't go back to school until Wednesday), said "Bye!", and she never looked back.  

On the way out the door I saw parents taking pictures.  Action shots of them walking into the classroom, shots of them playing with the toys, meeting their new teacher.

hmmm... never thought to do that.

After we picked her up from what was predictably a fun day for her with no crying or (thankfully) belly-bumping/bullying on her part, I saw even more cameras flashing.

Really?

I broke down and asked one nice mom if she would snap a pic of my poor neglected STRAWBERRY ( I can not emphasize enough that this is NOT a watermelon look she has going on) and email it to me.

She of course obliged and that's how you can she these gorgeous "mom the sun's in my face and I am hungry for lunch/ who is this strange lady taking my picture?" shots.

(That's my white mom-leg with the mystery dark spot on the knee.  Also, BigBoy in his beloved Toy Story shoes.)

I'm not complaining.  At least the kind woman swooped in and saved BabyCakes from another flare up of her Second Child Syndrome.

Playground Posse

This morning we met Neighbor Melissa and her girls at a playground for a while.
It is BigBoy's last day tracked-out (he's in year-round school) before going back for 9 weeks, so I wanted it to be fun.

Unfortunately Sara is quite possibly turning into a bad influence for my daughter. ;)

Even though he was the oldest child there, BigBoy still had a lot of fun.

BabyCakes maneuvered the playground equipment like a seasoned pro -- no help needed or wanted from Mama.(Yay! Waaa? Depends on the day...)

She of course ran from the camera.
I don't blame her.  I don't like having my picture taken either.

It was a gorgeous end-of-summer day.

You know, going to the playground is an activity I usually wouldn't photograph.

But these are the days I will probably want to remember the most.

Yes, we went to another zoo.

I'm starting to notice a theme in the family outings I share with you.

What can I say?  I'd take pics at Target but I think they'd frown upon it.

I don't think you care much about all the animals we saw so here are just a some random photos from our morning at the Greenville Zoo.

This is a small city zoo, perfect for people with toddlers that want to walk the whole time, or anyone who's not in the best shape.

Lions are always a crowd pleaser.

As are the elephants.

Of course BigBoy had to bring the stinker face in most of the pictures I took of him.

It didn't impress BabyCakes.

Notice the adorable bandana pillowcase dress from Grandma?  BabyCakes was the one who insisted upon wearing her hat.

I love bamboo.  It reminds me of how much I want to go to Asia one day.

There were also large trees providing beautiful shade.  They just reminded me how much I want to see the redwoods of California one day. (I'm noticing another trend...)

I love that this zoo wasn't just a "clear cut cube farm" for exotic animals.  It's parklike setting could have been such a peaceful place had it not been for the toddler tantrums we enjoyed endured near the end.

But then again, it's still a zoo.  People there expect to see wild animals, right?  :)

WW Wednesday: 20 in 20 - Week 7

Good morning!

FYI, I just took down my video post from yesterday. :(
 I couldn't keep it from sitting at a close-up of BabyCakes' diaper every time you came to my page.  I don't know why because that wasn't at the beginning or the end of the video.  I tried editing it out but I couldn't without chopping off over half of an already-super-short video, so I just canned it.

Moving on...

Yes, today is my weekly weigh-in and Weight Watchers meeting.
I would say I'm not really looking forward to it but that's not completely true.  I know I will enjoy my meeting and seeing all my WW friends, I'm just not looking forward to my weigh-in because I know I will be up today.
I indulged myself while we were out of town and I got no exercise other than walking in the last week.  Yep, told you that 3.4 wasn't normal.  I will check-in in my comment section after my meeting and tell you my results.

Neighbor Melissa said she was going to wear a new dress today so I am going to dress up a little more than normal too.  If I'm going to be up, I might as well look good doing it, right?!

For now I leave you with this:

So, how are my 20 in 20 Challenge members this week?

Love for Greenville

Good afternoon!

First of all, as it was a holiday and I was on the road, there was no "Make it Happen Monday" yesterday.  My task is to officially apply for admission to the local community college this week.
Duke University it is not, but it has a lot of online and night class offerings.

This weekend we took a spur-of-the-moment trip to Greenville, South Carolina.
Thursday J suggested we go somewhere for our 4-day weekend.  Hotels at the beaches were packed, so we decided to think outside the box a little. We didn't want a long drive because BabyCakes isn't exactly the best car-rider these days.
Greenville is 4 hours to the west of here.  We knew they had a zoo and we picked a hotel with a pool.  Our hopes were to see a new town and zoo, swim, and relax.

In short, I LOVED Greenville.  Well, J and I both did.

Their downtown was revitalized over the last 30 years and it is completely beautiful.
It had tree-lined streets and inviting shops and restaurants.

The roads were easy to navigate and everywhere was clean and friendly.  This place really knows a thing or two about maximizing their citizens' quality of life.
The old mixes with the new in a thoughtful, well-planned way that begs you to spend more time there.

BabyCakes alternated between sweetly holding hands with us (even BigBoy!) and wanting to be lugged around like a sack of potatoes carried.

We stopped in Marble Slab for some ice cream and ate in a cute loft area.

Then we made our way to a big part of the city's appeal: Falls Park on the Reedy.

It is an area of gardens, trees and small waterfalls lapping over stones, right in the heart of downtown.

A beautiful suspension bridge is at the center of the park.

New and old paths - brick, stone, and dirt,-- encouraging  you to wander freely.

Extra-wide swings, benches, and chairs invite you to sit and stay a while.

Along the river there are shops, restaurants, and hotels.

Always with a view.

I have SOOO many more pictures and stories but I can hear BabyCakes jumping in her crib and an odor drifting down the hall and into my bedroom,  letting me know that nap time is as over as the diaper she is wearing.

My friends, do yourself a favor the next time you are headed somewhere and find yourself near Greenville, South Carolina, and stop for a visit!

On the road again

We are slowly making our way back from a little weekend getaway to Greenville, SC, a surprisingly charming town.  More on that later... We've seen 9 cops on the road so far on the drive home and BabyCakes just now stopped being obnoxious in the car.  Almost home!
Here's a quick pic J took with his phone yesterday.
Happy labor day!