Exhausted, but Fulfilled

Day #21 of NaBloPoMo has almost come to an end, but I am writing this just in the nick of time.

I have been busy all day. ALL. DAY.

Mom, Mason, and I got to school at 8:30. Some of the LMS PTA Board members showed up and we prepared for tomorrow's Staff Appreciation Snack. When we finished around 12, a group of us went to a new, local cafe for lunch. It was amazing, with fresh ingredients and great atmosphere. And, like I discussed yesterday, I got to enjoy the almost 80 degree sunny weather while we dined al fresco. Hello Vitamin D. And dare I say, I think I may have even got some extra sun on my face?

Mom and I returned to the school to sharpen almost 3000 pencils. Yes. THREE THOUSAND PENCILS. You know what happens when you sharpen that many pencils? The electric sharpeners become overheated. We had to quit after three of the pencil sharpeners died on us because they were too hot. Ooops. Don't worry -- they aren't broken, just needed a rest!

I was a bad mom and pulled Mason out of school a few minutes early. We were ready to go and after practically spending the entire day at the school, we wanted to leave. I gave him the option of leaving early and riding home with us or riding the bus. We decided since we had some time, we would hit up Sonic Happy Hour. Score!

As soon as we got home, Mason walked the Wondermutt while Mark and I went out to buy The Boy's Birthday presents. Well, some of them. Some of the others aren't available until tomorrow. Once home, I became a pencil-decorating-banner-making-picture-gluing crazy lady. We just stopped three minutes ago so that I could write this entry. Once I finish, I promised Mom we would finally watch Dance Moms (our guilty pleasure on Tuesdays. Don't judge!).

So, today was another wonderful, busy day of volunteering and hanging out with amazing friends. I have another semi-busy day tomorrow when we set up for Staff Appreciation then come home in time to celebrate a very cool Thirteen year old's life.

On Thursday, I will be able to share a lot of the crafties I have been concocting (have too many staff members who read this that I'd like to surprise!)!

Goodnight -- it's time to watch some crazy, screaming women!

Raindays

I am just getting to Day #18 of NaBloPoMo! Where do Saturdays go? Anyway...

I wish I had a craft or two to show you this week. I don't. I did break out my Silhouette after Mason's swim practice this afternoon and played with it for a long time before our friends came over for dinner. Give me a day or two and I'll be able to reveal something.

What did I accomplish today?

I got my hair colored.

I took Mason to swimming in the pouring rain.

I washed our bed linens.

I actually lost my first game of checkers in over fifteen years (well played, Colt!).

I insulted a friend by making fun of show choirs (sorry Mandy!).

I scolded the Wondermutt (who broke one of our plates that was on top of an oven mitt. He loves to steal oven mitts).

I talked to some Tidal Waves friends.

I learned how to play a new board game.

I spent time with my three awesome boys (well, Gibson was awesome until he broke that plate!).

To some, it may seem like an uneventful Saturday, but to me it was perfect. With the exception of playing checkers against Colt, showing Angela the new Hunger Games nail polish colors, and playing three games of Temple Run, I didn't have the iPad glued to my hand. With the exception of a few texts to my sisters, Mandy, and Samar, I didn't have my iPhone glued to my hand either. I never watched a single TV show. I just got to hang out with some amazing people.

And I loved it.

You've Got a Friend

Day #15 of NaBloPoMo and I'm ditching their prompt.

My "naughty" friend, Colleen is a therapist with a blog. Today, she wrote about how adults find friends, especially moving to a new area.

When I moved to Austin, I knew no one outside of my family. I quickly found out that quite a few people from my hometown lived in the Austin area (it's actually quite shocking -- one of my old neighbors lives nearby!). During the first six months, I didn't really know anyone because we lived in temp housing (an apartment) as we built our house in a different town. I kept sane by talking to my old friends back home, but I knew that once we moved into our house, I needed to find my people.

Once we moved, however, my first priority was finding friends for Mason. Luckily, we moved in the summer, so we spent so much time at our neighborhood pool (which is just down our street). I began talking to neighbors, too. Mason met three of his best friends today that summer at the pool. I met a lot of people at our neighborhood's National Night Out Event, too.

When school began, I started volunteering at Mason's school. I got to know more neighbors. Then, I started working and met some great people, too.

Today, the majority of my friends I have met through either Mason's school, swimming, or our neighborhood. Mark and I have a few "couple friends," that we hang out with, too. I am very blessed because I have some amazing friendships that I've made here in Texas. Dare I say I have too many friends? No, I would never -- but my calendar quickly fills with lunch dates and girls nights out. Again, I am blessed.

Thank you all for being my friend!

Family vs. Friends

Day #9 of NaBloPoMo. Today's topic:

Talk about this quote: "Fate chooses your relations, you choose your friends."

Would you choose your family, if you could? Believe me, there are times when I have wondered that.

I had a friendship with my half-sister for a long time. I always thought, "It's not her fault who her father is." That relationship ended because of the lack of relationship I have with our shared father. However, for a while, I chose my relation.

Is blood thicker than water? No. In my life, I can assure you I don't believe so. That being said, I have made some amazing friendships that are so much more dearer to me than a lot of relationships with my relations.

Thoughts?