Count Your Blessings Tuesdays

Today I am grateful for:

• 26 miles logged and then some ;)
• time with friends 
• long weekends
• meeting awesome new people
• snow/ice days
• a hubby that will not only clear the cars of snow and ice but then goes and gets me breakfast!
• my birthday dress in the mail
• our Disney trip--BOOKED!
• our return to church... missed it.

Growing older

I'm turning 29 next week and, my first reaction to this upcoming birthday was-- crap, I'm getting OLD.  I've been thinking about how I feel about the upcoming 30s and have realized that I am just starting my life-- life is just starting to get GOOD.  I am lucky to have (and have had) very strong, confident, beautiful women in my family who have aged gracefully and only get better with time.  So, I'm compiling a list of things I have to look forward to:

• being taken seriously
• not looking like I'm 12
• being one hot Mommy
• looking like I have it all together and maybe actually having it all together ;)
• being able to look at my life and know that everything I have is because I worked hard for it and all my successes and mistakes are because of what I did
• knowing the value of good friendships and not wasting time on people that bring you down
• confidence in myself as a wife
• mastering the kitchen
• knowing what is truly important in the grand scheme of life
• celebrating myself-- my body which has done some pretty awesome stuff like grow a human being, my brains, my achievements
• living every minute in the now... not wishing time away

I have much to look forward to-- the best is yet to come!

Rewarding...

As much as I complain about today's ungrateful youth, there are a few students out there who really amaze me.  I did an assignment with my kids where they had to write a resume in Spanish and come and interview with me for a "job".  I told the students that there would be three hires who would get a candy bar so they better do a good job.  One student today came in a full suit and when I asked him what skills or abilities he had that others didn't have, he told me it was better if he showed me and the class.  He proceeded to do magic tricks.  Like... awesome magic tricks.  Hired?  I think so!

I love when kids go above and beyond what an assignment calls for-- don't see much of that any more.

Count Your Blessings Tuesdays

Today I am grateful for:

• a productive streak.... too bad it doesn't translate itself to work!
• taking a half day to renew my license and getting to have a nice quiet lunch with C was an extra perk
• my birthday month that is shared with some pretty cool people ;)
• pointless two hour delays and early dismissals but I'm not complaining!
• yummy dinners... I'm really tearing it up in the kitchen lately!
• surprise gifts
• any and all quiet time I get!
• patience and knowing when to walk away.

AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH

Ever have one of those days as a parent that you totally can't figure out what compelled you to have a kid in the first place?  I had one of those days today.  I had to take a time out in a corner while I cried because I truly felt frustration beyond any I've ever had and I just wanted to SCREAM.  I don't want to be that parent and it made me SO mad that he drove me to that point.

How do you get a three year old to SHUT UP!?  It's like a constant narration of my life and the disk is scratched so I get to hear certain parts like five times before the next part of the narration.  I want to walk away but he follows me wherever I go!  I pay attention to what he says and answer back but he still feels the need to say it fifty more times!  Then the tantrums and the pouting and the talking back.  I tell him no and he goes and does it and says "but I just...".  I didn't think I'd have to deal with justifications until 5 or 6!   I told him it was quiet time and he proceeded to talk about how it was QUIET TIME.  OMG  Then later on tonight I told him it was bedtime and that after he went to bed I'd clean and go exercise... he proceeded to cry hysterically and tell me he didn't want me to exercise... over, and over and over again.  

I love the kid but, damn, I need a MUTE button.  I'm off to exercise (cue crying) and get a drink.

(After reading my post again and seeing the photo I took for today... maybe that didn't help)