College Bound...

Graduation night...tears, laughter, memories of four years. It's amazing how we spend four years to get to the top. All the way to the cool hallways, early lunches, and the ultimate...going off campus for lunch! Imagine escaping the cafeteria and buying real food!!!

I have a good friend who made it all the way to the top. He plateaued Friday evening and graduated with honors from high school...and by this morning he plummeted back down to the awesome status of Freshman.

The best part of graduation...are the speeches. News flash...we're all going to fail! I love that sentiment. Failure is the best part of life and with time and practice we can accomplish anything.

I thought what better way to send my friend off to college then with a little care package from home. Here is everything you need to make a college survival kit:

• Small Sterilite Container
• Advil/Tylenol
• Tums
• Cough Drops
• Lotion
• Nail Clipper
• Toothpaste
• Dental Floss
• Kleenex
• Batteries
• Lip Balm
• Screwdriver Set
• First Aid Kit
• Lifesavers
• $20

Wishing you a Saturday filled with sweet memories of high school, friends, and the awesome adventures of going off to college. I think for now, I will be blissfully happy being a Junior and enjoying the ride!

Meeting the Parents...

First date, unofficially, yes, 3 days after my sixteenth birthday I had the pleasure of going on one. I now have the pleasure of 'Meeting the Parents'. Scary proposition right? As I freaked myself out over THE family dinner date, I got to thinking about all the times I was in trouble.

Were my parents grooming me for this very event in my life? Allow me to set the stage...interrogation chair...heat lamp...angry birds...I mean angry stink eyes from Mom and Dad. Oh, and the CHANCLA on stand by. For those of you that have never heard of the CHANCLA, it is not a myth. A CHANCLA  is a sandal that is passed generation to generation. It has homing device capabilities and can take corners as the offending child is attempting to escape discipline.

Okay...returning to the topic of grooming the child for 'Meeting the Parents'. The Interrogation chair...you know the chair with the heat lamp attached while your parents ask all the questions who, what, why, where, when, oh...and what the...as you feel your face melting away from the death rays emitting from the dreaded stink eyes. You learn early on...the TRUTH will always set you free...even though a spanking or grounding soon follows after you've set yourself free.

Now, when I think of the interrogation chair or the CHANCLA I'm certain I'm ready for this date. I have such an appreciation for those grooming moments. Fire those questions away prospective boyfriend's parents! I've been groomed for this moment in an indirect way and I have my parents to thank. Not sure they would agree...but whatever gets me through the moments of being a teenager...I'll take it!

Wishing you a Saturday free of heat lamps, interrogation chairs, stink eyes, and the dreaded CHANCLA! Oh, and P.S. I had an awesome time with his family. I'm not sure why I freaked myself out. I'm one lucky girl!

High School going to the Dogs...

If you've ever had the pleasure of attending High School you'll be able to relate with the pain in my head. The pain of finals, school assemblies, group projects, and the classification system that has been around since, oh...since humans organized the thought to send their children off for formalized education. What's interesting is the group of kids that just don't get it. This clueless bunch will more than likely be sitting across from students like me trying to get a job in ten years. Karma always comes full circle.

All that keeps going through my head is how would dogs deal with this madness.

Just for grins and giggles allow me to dissect my theory of dog education.

Finals...imagine a classroom where the instructor repeats the lesson over and over until the student has complete understanding of the lesson. All the while treats are introduced each time the student successfully completes the lesson. Finals wouldn't have a letter grade but a treat count for how well they do. Can you imagine it?

School Assemblies...um, not even a dog would waste its time being barricaded inside a structure while the sun is shining. Imagine getting a group of dogs to sit still for an hour while another group of dogs puts on a senseless show. Kind of like hurding cats...can't be done!

Group projects...there has to be an alpha in every group project. Um there's a term for this but will keep this G-rated! Not even the dogs can escape alpha syndrome.

Classification system...doesn't exist. If you've ever visited a dog park its all about having fun, playing, and sniffing butts...oops, I mean saying hello...how ya doing to everyone! 

Oh, to follow a dogs lead. May your Saturday be filled with unconditional  happiness, live in the moment wagging the heck out of your tail, and laughing at yourself from time to time. What an awesome lesson...where's my treat?!? Back to hitting the books!!!

Mother's Day...

If home is where the heart is then home is where you are...I'm not certain who came up with the quote, but it sure speaks to my heart. I thought for this Mother's Day I would share some snippets from messages that my siblings and I have given my mother over the years.

How  did you find the energy, Mom,

To do all the things you did,

To be teacher, nurse, and counselor

To me,when I was a kid.

How did you do it all, Mom,

Be a chauffeur, cook, and friend, 

Yet find time to be a playmate,

I just can't comprehend.

I see know it was love,

Your inexhaustible love, Mom,

And I thank you for it all.

 

 Mom, even when we become adults you are still our Mom. Even if you didn't like something we've done like throwing a baseball or kicking a soccer ball through a window we still love you! 

 

You are my #1 idol and someday I hope I can be as witty, smart, beautiful, and one of a kind as you mom. Happy Mother's Day! I hope you enjoy today, today's sunrise, today's sunset, and most of all the memory of today.

I will never forget to appreciate you. You mean the world to me and I will never take for granted the time we have with each other.

 May your Saturday be filled with making memories with Mom...memories of Mom...and all the awesome questions of "what is this", "what happened", "how did you make that", "how did you get up there", "what did you do", "how did it go", and "what the..." on this Saturday eve of Mother's Day.