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Thursday, March 15, 2012

U Day

This morning my son showed up to my bedside at 6:05.  He was completely buck naked.  He said, "Is it a Family Day?"  Meaning is it the weekend.  "No Buddy, it's 'U' Day at school.  "Ok then, I  better put on my underwear then,' was his response.  Thank goodness it was 'U' day or my child may have gone to school commando.

Top 33

I am very blessed to have a friend who I've known me 69% of my life.  I met her when I was the 'new girl' in school in 5th grade.  She was the first kid to be nice to me.  She said she liked my nails.  Every year I tell my class that story (with more details) because I want them to be a friend like she is to me.


She makes me feel important.  She makes me feel special.  She sure as hell, makes me laugh!




Today she turns 33.  Since we've been friends for sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo long we have many many many memories together.


Here are my top 33 (in no particular order):


33. Dancing with Biff in your parents' kitchen and being beyond belief embarrassed to see you dad standing there.


32. Meeting the New Kids on the Block for the first time in my life on 8/8/2008 at MOA.


31. The secret blind folded 'date' you took me on 8/8/2009 - what an experience!


30.  Hanging out with your grandma - oh, I loved her so!


29. Singing Don't Take the Girl in your Grandma's driveway.


28. Jumping off the 'cliff' at the caves.  It took me awhile but you finally convinced me.


27. Our reunion at Jake's.  That was a good day back in '07.


26. Watching you do your Book Talk each year to my class.  You are such a natural.


25. Scamming the USPS.  I am too nervous to try that again.  Are you?


24.  Your 21st birthday.  How's that knee, by the way?  Still, so so sorry!


23. The pageant.  That's all I'm going to say about that!


22. Late nights at St. Cloud.  Wow, we had some crazy nights that included an airplane, a quarry, a snake and a couple men.  That's all I'm going to say about that!


21. Miller's Pub - between the gay guys, the shots and the black men there was a lot going on that night.


20. Traveling with you.  You are so good at planning and preparing and you're so confident I hopped on a plane, fell asleep, woke up and hopped on the L with complete trust that you'd take care of me.


19. Watching you play with my kids.  You are truly a friend of theirs.  We had so much fun at Leo's.


18. Eating mashed potatoes, chips and pizza rolls while listening to your play lists on your living room floor.


17. Trips to Sephora.  You showed me a beauitiful world in that store;-)  I've finally learned where the proper trash receptacle is located.


16.  Seeing New Kids on the Block in Chicago.  Only you would be patient enough to arrive an hour early, sit through a concert, then steal a cab and walk up to Jordan's limo in a dark alley with me.
What in the world were we thinking?  Then you listened to me reenact the entire thing the following day.


15. Watching you plan your sister's baby shower.  I loved that I got to be there to watch it all unfold!


14. Walking into your house for the first time with my family.  You were beaming!


13. Relaxing those summer afternoons away at your pool.


12. Those longs weekends of swimming and hanging out at Timm's Marina.  It was so hard to drag you out of that pool.  Remember that extreme sunburn you got on your back about the very long hair line you had?


11.  That fateful night we sped along a dirt road and flipped a car - just days after I received my license - and thank God we met 'Jesus'.  


10. Calling Kool 108 and getting through time after time in the middle of the night and telling them what to play.  Man, I still think that was so cool!


9. Getting my hair cut in 'your' shop.  Getting busted.  You getting fired.  It wasn't the best memory, but it's one I vividly remember. 


8. Designing flower arrangements at 'your shop.'  That was one of the coolest jobs you ever had!


7. Shopping.  You are - by far - my most favorite person in the world to shop with.  I love to shop with you as much as.. as.. as.. I like to eat shrimp.  You're the best.  I could list 100's of times we shopped together.  You're always so patient and so honest.  I love shopping with you.  *Side note - especially when we stop at The Flame for happy hour after....hint hint.


6. Your 30th birthday party.  That was a rockin' party.  I wouldn't have chose to be the killer of the Murder Mystery.  But, hey, it kept me on my toes and makes for a great story.


5. Playing Black Jack with your brothers at your parents' kitchen table.  We drank pop and stayed up way too late having so much fun.


4. Long talks with your mom.  I love when the three of us sit around talking.  You're so lucky to have her.


3. The Trolley ride.  Fun sometimes yet torturous at others.  Again, great stories!


2. On top of the Ferris Wheel.  I was pretty nervous.  You were cool as a cucumber.  It was just you and me.  We were taking pictures.  We were both in awe.  That was an amazing thing to experience together.  Every time I hear the term ferris wheel I'll forever remember that time.  The biggest in the world, seven minutes, stories and stories in the sky near the clouds.  Very very cool.


1. The day I met you in 5th grade.  I don't remember many positive details about that day except the way you made me feel.  You made me feel special.  You made me feel comfortable.  You made me feel ok with being there.


That's what you do.  You make memories with everybody every time you're with them.  That's who you are.  Fun.  Ready for anything.  Always laughing.  Always a listening ear.  Always a friend.


I'm absolutely blessed to call you my friend.  Can't wait to celebrate tomorrow night. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIV!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

More Time = More Learnin'

It's official:
My students no longer have to wear snow gear out to recess.  That gives me an extra seven minutes on each and every math lesson and an extra seven minutes for social studies at the end of the day.  Never mind the extra seven or ten or twelve minutes (depending on the student) for morning work each morning.
Think of all the stuff we can learn now!