Turning it all around...

Miss me? No one was reading so I kind of took a blog break. But I missed it so I'm back! Now for the question of the year:

Can a person really change? I mean like, four or five aspects of their lives and be successful? That's what I'm going to find out. And you all (well, one person at least!) are going to go on this journey with me. So here's my plan:

In 2009 I will:
Give up soda completely
Make meals with healthier ingredients
Exercise at least 3 times a week, even if it's only for 20 minutes
Drink my 8 glasses of water each day
Focus on my family and my work
Go to church each Sunday we're in town and the whole family is well

Think I can do it? I know it's changing several things at once, but I've never been a "change one thing at a time" kind of girl. It's all or nothing. I'm not looking to lose 100 lbs, but I think with the small changes I'm making in my diet and exercise routine that I can make a difference in the fat that currently surrounds my stomach, ass, and thighs. I've never been "thin" In high school I would have considered myself "healthy" because I swam like crazy and had some pretty rockin' calf muscles. I want to get some of that back.

As far as focusing on my family and work, I just want to feel intellectually stimulated again. I'm working on my National Boards so I'm going to have to be creative and innovative at work. In all honestly, I've been slacking. And for my family, I just want to have as much quality time as possible with my son and my husband. In a way, Mr. Sarah and I need to reconnect as a couple since we've been going at 100 MPH since monkey was born.

And church... my relationship with God is as strong as ever, but we've been slacking on going to church each week and electing instead to stay at home and sleep. I love our church. I love going, it's the actual getting there that is the challenge!

So there you go. Maybe if I'm blogging about all these changes it'll keep me honest. So... countdown to New Year's Day begins!

Politics

Wow. It has been so cool to be an American these past few days. All of the election excitement has been really fun! No matter who you voted for, we experienced history in the making. When my son is my age, I'll be able to tell him about the first time a half African-American man was voted in as President. I personally am thrilled about this fact. I'm ready for a change. 8 years of Bush has really taken a toll on our country in several areas. I only hope Obama can make good on some of the campaign promises he made. I'm really excited to see what happens in the next 4 years.

The Itsy Bitsy Spider...

visited me for Halloween!!! I have to admit he's the cutest, most cuddliest spider I've ever seen!

A Crappy Halloween

Mr. Sarah came back from his eye doctor in Cincinnati today. 2 1/2 years ago he had a pump of sulphuric acid blow up in his face and it blinded him in his right eye. He had a stem cell transplant in Feb. of '07, and then a cornea transplant in June of '07. Well, the doc said today that his eye is rejecting the cornea. They think they caught it early enough and that tons of steroids will help reverse the damage, but if it doesn't work then they are going to have to do another surgery. He feels awful and I feel awful for him. We've been going through this recovery for 2 1/2 years and just when the end is in sight, this happens. So it's been a pretty awful Halloween.

We'll see. Hopefully the meds will work. He's going to the best doctor in the country (hence the flying to Cincinnati) so we trust him. He said not to be worried until we see if the meds work so I'm trying to be positive.

On a happier note, monkey was so so so cute in his itsy bitsy spider costume! I got tons of cute pics of him. I have to say he is the cutest most cuddliest spider I've ever seen in my life.

What would I be doing on a husbandless night if I were kidless?

Same thing I'm doing right now. Debating whether or not I'll have enough time to get my pants dried and ironed before The Office comes on so I can watch it in bed. Wow... how interesting is my life?

Get off my cloud, Debbie Downer!

There's this woman at work who always feels she needs to tell me these horrible stories about children being left in cars, being abused, neglected, etc... I can't stand to hear things like this. Being a new mommy, news stories about these topics, TV shows like CSI or Criminal Minds that center around dead children or abused children, or anything like that in general makes me so sad! It affects me so much more than it used to. I picture monkey being in that situation and I almost break down crying.

I know how the world works and I also know that some people are wicked at heart. I just don't want to hear about it! I want to continue living in my white bread world and be oblivious to all the bad things that are happening to children these days. The fact of the matter is, I can think of several of my students who have been abused sexually and physically by their good for nothing parents. I've had to testify in court because of one child, but I still want to believe that people are good at heart. I know that sounds Anne Frank-ish and naive, but I prefer to have a positive outlook on things.

Love Guru...

didn't suck. I was thinking it would be stupid, and it was, but the fact that it was filled with 1,000 cameos and had Mike Myers' sense of humor made it bearable to watch. Justin Timberlake is uber-funny in it. It actually reminded me of the old SNL days (ok, my generation SNL, not the classic SNL). At least Myers is still funny. I used to love Adam Sandler, but his sense of humor is getting old. If you're bored at home or want a mindless flick to watch, I suggest it.

Content

Well, I finally feel like I've accomplished something. The laundry is done (mostly), the dishes are washed (well, a couple of things are still drying), and the monkey is in bed sleeping and breathing that open-mouthed way that only babies and little-bitties breathe. The kind of breathing that just makes you want to hold your face as close to their mouths as possible and breathe that sweet breath like it's the last thing you'll ever do. If I'm ever put on death row or lying in a hospital bed and the end is near, I'll ask to breathe my baby's breath one last time. Nothing like it in the world.

So the house is straightened up for once and now I can play without feeling guilty. Mr. Sarah brought home a couple of movies and I've got a nice large pot of gumbo in the slow cooker just waiting to be devoured. So basically, for right now at least, life is good and I am undeniably....content.

Kids' Parentz

What is up with not supporting your child and his or her education? Today was parent conference day at school and out of the 85 kids I teach 2 of my parents showed up. Granted, I teach in a low socioecomomic, low educated area in the county but I will never understand why a parent wouldn't be interested in his or her child's academic progress. How self-centered can you be? I understand that parents work or have other children to take care of and can't get to the school to speak with me, but what about a phone? And don't get me started on the parents who don't work and have drug problems and are too far gone to even realize how badly their child is doing in school.

I care about each of my students' educations and do my best every single day to make sure they are receiving a quality one. I get paid next to nothing to educate our young adults. I don't do it for the money. I do it because I care about them. Why can't the parents take a couple of minutes out of their day ONE day a semester and come speak with me? Why when I call parents to communicate with them about their child's progress or behavior do I get NO support from them? My favorite response when calling about a child's misbehavior is "I just don't know what to do with him/her." What the heck? Then how do you expect his teachers to "do anything with them"? BE A PARENT, NOT A FRIEND!!!! I know people are busy, but I know I will ALWAYS put my child's education on the top of my list of things to be involved in. I will bend over backwards to help my child with school work, make sure they are involved in things after school, and support them in whatever they're interested in. That means that if my child likes football, I'll make sure he's at every practice and every game. And you better believe that I'll be at every game. If he likes drama and wants to be in plays, I'll make sure he's at every rehearsal and I'll be at every performance.

Some of my kids do things like this after school and have NO one show up to support them. Parent attendance at my concerts is ridiculous. How could you not WANT to see your child excel in sports/arts/academics? I've even have some kids whose parents don't come to their graduation. Come on, now. I would think that graduation would be something that parents would WANT to attend.

I can't help but think that this is another example of the decline of our society. I feel so badly for these kids. Don't get me wrong, some of them drive me crazy, but I still care about each of them.

If you're reading this and you are a parent, PLEASE pay attention to your child. PLEASE be involved in their education. It is SO important for them to have a high school diploma in order to be successful in life. Please show your child you love them by supporting them in all areas of their lives. They need your positive influence and most of all your love.

Sickie Poo

I love fall. I mean LOVE IT!! Football, holidays approaching, I can't get enough! So why oh why does my favorite season have to include the inevitable sinus infections I get every year? At least 4 of them in one season. My doc is on speed dial and told me that if she could, she'd just have me call in to say I had a another infection and prescribe me my Z-pak. Unfortunately that's illegal or something so she can't. Damnit!! So I'm suffering through the first one of the season. I've had them mucho number of times before but it's different when you have a baby in the house. Now I'm disenfecting everything and trying not to cough or sneeze around him, plus I'm knocked out tired from all the sniffiling and coughing. It was a huge ordeal just getting him into bed. I fell asleep nursing him and Mr. Sarah came in to wake me up so I could put him down in his crib.

So I took the day off from work to recuperate. A heck of a lot of good that did because I'm just as tired and sick as I was yesterday. Maybe I need to take the rest of the week... it's glorious sleeping until 1PM without the baby monitor going full blast in my ear.

I Can't Fix it This Time

I'm floored. Family problems that will change life as I know it. Please pray for my family as we are very close and have never gone through something as serious as this.

Busy Busy Busy Busy There's So Much To Do...

Yes, the title of this post is quoting the lyrics to one of my son's Fisher Price Learning table songs. It pretty much sums up our existence as of late. I've got a baby shower and a pageant this weekend, and I have to get my students ready for their Mars Hill auditions on Tuesday. Friday's a workday so I can't wait to sleep in a little and take a 2 hour lunch!

So monkey's like a second from crawling. I've been trying to find good deals on baby proofing stuff but that crap's expensive! A fireplace guard is like $40! I know, better safe than sorry but $40 for a couple of pieces of rubber is crazy. Every time I pick him up at daycare the other little babies are crawling around and almost step on their fingers every single time because they get right up behind me! I guess I need to get used to looking behind me when I step back.

Other than that, casa de Sarah is buzzing. Fall is always incredibly busy. It's almost time to start thinking about my holiday baking stuff! I love this time of year leading up to the holidays.

Tirade Tuesday

In the spirit of my favorite radio show, Matt and Ramona, I am starting tirade Tuesday.

Why would the "head" of the county choral directors even hold a stupid meeting when he's going to do things his way anyway? "T" is the biggest douchebag on the planet. He's been teaching like 67,000 years and even though he "asks" for our input (our meaning the other 7 choral directors in the county) he just does what he wants anyway. Whenever I try to put in my 2 cents he just acts like I have NO idea what I'm talking about and is very degrading. He's already had to apologize to me once because he bit my head off IN FRONT OF 175 STUDENTS. Very unprofessional and VERY uncalled for. I don't do things his way and he can't stand that. And believe me, he IS NOT the end all- be all when it comes to Choral directors. I have studied under and worked with several who are MUCH better than he is. From now on, I'm just going to shut my trap and let him do what he wants. He has made it perfectly clear to me and the other directors that he's in control of everything and that's how it's going to stay.


Why oh why won't my dream job at my dream school come open? I'd be out of this county so fast it would make their heads spin if I could JUST find the right school.

Pink Eye

So I go to pick the monkey up from daycare today and his teacher tells me that there's a case of pink eye going around. I don't think much of it, as I assume she just means "around the community," but then she goes on to tell me that a little girl had it at daycare today. They tried to call her mom to get her, but she wouldn't come pick her up because she's a teacher and couldn't leave. What the heck? I'm a teacher, too! If daycare called me to come get my kid I'd get someone to cover my classes and get my happy butt over there! Other kids could pick it up, not to mention the fact that my child would be miserable and need me. Evidently none of this occurred to this mother. I can't believe it! This daycare doesn't call for every little thing- only if the child has a contagious disease or has a fever of 102 or higher. I just don't understand. Maybe I'm overreacting, but if my son gets pink eye I'm going to flip. Stay tuned....

The sickies

Monkey is sick. I mean, really sick. Not teething, not stomach-achey. SICK. I feel so bad for him. The poor thing won't eat any solid foods and can't sleep very well. That means that this mama isn't sleeping either. I'm so exhausted and I just know he is, too. I can't even rock him to sleep anymore. The only thing that works is if I let him cry! I know, I know- but it really is the only thing that works. So on top of that I have severe mommy guilt. Well, this too shall pass. I just hope it's sooner rather than later!

Having 22 Channels...

Sucks. We cancelled the DVR and 250 channels so we could save some money and it totally sucks. I miss Food Network and being able to watch taped epidsodes of Scrubs all evening.

City Park

Does it look like he's having fun, here?

We went to the city park and there was nothing to do. The poor thing has a better swing than this at the house.

Then, I went to Walmartz and bought him a fresh food feeder. He didn't take to it too well:

But I'm sure he'll get used to it.

FIRED from my OB!

Ummmm.... let me get this straight.... you FIRED me from your office because I cancelled an appointment and then FORGOT to reschedule? Really OB? REALLY? The fact that I called and cancelled instead of just not showing up makes no difference? The fact that I EXPLAINED to the front desk staff that I had NO ONE to watch my son because YOUR OFFICE doesn't allow children in it says NOTHING? The fact that I told your front desk person I had to wait until the monkey was in daycare so I could come in and was told that would be fine makes no difference?

Yes, this is happening to me. I received a registered letter telling me that they would no long treat me because I failed to reschedule an appointment. So I called the "administrator" who honestly is younger than I, has NO social skills and between you and me had no clue what she was talking about. I asked to come back, and she said she'd have to ask the doctor if I could.

Ok, first of all I understand that they have people who might sue them for whatever reason when it's really their fault that they didn't follow doctor's orders. I understand that they're covering their butt, but I have been a MODEL patient until now. Never late, never cancelled... I just don't understand why they would fire me without giving me some type of notice.

I really liked this office and I love the doctor I normally see. They treated me really well when I was preggo with monkey and I don't want to go through the hassle of changing doctors.

Oh well... we'll see if I'm "allowed" back!

Doin' the Blog... sexy sexy

Yes, it is time for me to jump on the bandwagon and start a blog. I'm new to the whole thing, so this is definately a learn as you go blog for a while. Basically, I hope to gain about 4 million readers in the next year, become massively famous as the best blogger ever and be able to quit my job, buy a beach house and play with my son for the rest of my life. I'll quit my job and do nothing all day but spend money.

So if I'm going to grace your eyes with my wit and witticism, then you must do your part and tell everyone you know!

Honestly, I'm happy to be here and I am looking forward to doing ONE more thing that keeps my on the Internetz BESIDES BHB (so sad it's almost gone!).