Writers Workshop: Surprise!! Mom lied to you ...

Oh I love the prompts this week for the Writers Workshop over at Mama's Losin It It was hard for me to pick just one. Don't be surprised if you see another post or two from me using the other prompts. This post however is in response to Numero Uno ...

Why did you do it?

I did it because I could
I did out of love
I did it for fun

I told Mini-me a few lies this last month but dang that girl is way to smart. Actually we are like best friends and it is very hard to keep secrets or surprises.

About 3 and a half weeks ago I received an email on my work account from one of the Dance team parents. A few of the parents had approached the coach about teaching the parents a routine to preform at the Dance team banquet. I was beyond excited and totally willing to join in on the fun. I have waited 4 years to make a fool out of myself to make my daughter laugh.

The parents all met at the coaches house a few days later to learn our routine. I lied to Mini-me and told her that the parents were getting together to do some gift things for State. I should have said we were going to dinner or something. When State came and went and there wasn't as many gifts as she thought there would be she realized I was up to something. I guess another parent told their daughter that we had all gone to the coaches house. She started racking her brain to figure out what we were doing. (The coach has a dance studio in her house.)

She had been begging me to skip my first day of class to come to the banquet. I originally told her I would think about it. When I felt like she was catching on I had to lie to her again. I am such a bad mommy. I told her that there was no way I could miss my first day of class. I agreed to make 2 pans of lasagna and she could take those. I tried to act sad but she kept making me laugh.

Darn that Mini-me! She would say things like:
"Mommy Please Come"
"I know you are up to something. See you are laughing"
"You aren't really going to school. You are going to surprise me and show up and you are all dancing for us"

I picked her up from work on Tuesday at 5 and told her we had to hurry as I had to be at class at 6. I gave instructions on how to finish up the lasagna and get it to the banquet with her friend that was giving her a ride. I felt a little bad lying to her again as I walked out the door. She said "Mommy you aren't really going to school are you?"
I said "Look book bag with books in it and I am leaving now"
She was a bit sad.

When she got to the High School I was already there and had parked my car where I knew she would not see it. It took her almost a minute after she walked in before she realized I was sitting at a table waiting for her.

She yelled at me "Mommy you are such a bad bad liar!! (started crying) I knew you would be here for me. I hate you!!"

Really I am a bad bad liar and I am pretty sure she meant that she loved me. ;) I did feel really bad for lying to her but happy that I surprised her. It is near impossible to pull one over on her. I can only think of 2 other times I have really gotten her.

Sitting through an entire banquet knowing that at the end I was going to surprise her more just about killed me. At the end of the evening the parents started getting up from the tables and walking away. I grabbed my camera and handed it to her. As I was walking away I said "Stay in your seat (I had picked a front table) and hit the record button in a minute or two." She let out a loud shriek and then yelled "OH MY GOSH!!" No more lying she knew what was coming.

Those girls laughed so hard at us. The lying we all had to do was so worth it. For the record I hate lying!! It is my biggest pet peeve. So this was actually hard for me. Probably one of the reasons she was suspicious.

So you want to see me make a fool of myself? Oh please don't beg (ha ha ha). Of course I will share my my great dancing abilities with all of you. Ok ok I won't lie ... My dancing is not that great but it will make you laugh. You should be able to guess which one is me.

I present to you the Parents of the Sheldon High School Dance Team .....

I would do it all over again because

I had a blast
I love my Mini-Me that much
Just because I could



Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. ~Dave Barry

Spring Break Comes To An End

As soon as I hit send on this post my Spring Break will be over and I will tuck myself into my bed. I had a very productive week and I am happy to say that I never felt like I was going to fall into a funk.

I started off my week by working on the hallway flooring. For the most part I am finished with them. I need a table saw to cut the boards length wise to finish off the last row against the wall. I am going to ask if I can use the saw in the Shop class at work. Can't see why they wouldn't let me.

Took most of Tuesday because I spent my entire night on the phone with the Jeans. We talked until 5 in the morning. I feel like those talks are so eye opening for both of us.

Wed. I finished up the hallway and cleared off the bookshelf at the end of it. Four medium sized boxes off to Goodwill. I love how the hall looks with the floors (almost) done and the bookshelf organized. Mini-me and I went out to dinner with each other and when we got home we tortured the cat. He likes to climb on the car the minute we pull in. If you put your hand to the window he runs to it and rubs himself all over trying to get to your hand to be pet. We are mean ... we sat there for 5 minutes teasing him. Had some beer in the fridge so I grabbed one and went to town on clearing out the crap in my room that I didn't need.

Hallway floors

Thursday I grabbed some left over paint that was out in the garage and painted my room for the first time in the 10 years that I have lived here. I got rid of the TV and stand that was at the end of my bed and the bookshelf of fabric/dolls. There is now just a bed and a desk. So much nicer than it was before. I did manage to break my bed in the process of moving it. I have owned it for just a little over a year and of course the warranty is expired. They wanted $100 to replace the rail that broke and they don't deliver it or put it on the bed. I said screw it and got creative. I had some wood in the garage so I made a box and used it to hold the rail up on the bed.

I have to admit I am a bit embarrassed to show what my room looked like before I tackled it but here I go anyways ....

Before (wall by the door)

After (wall by the door)

My room is no longer a freakish blue/green puke color. It is a wonderful tan and I love it. Still have some work to do on it. Like make curtains and put in the wood floor. The dolls are now homeless. I am going to end up selling most of them. A few will be kept as they were in a commercial the kids and I were in. (Yes I've been on TV nationwide and not for America's Most Wanted). The bookshelf is now in the closet in the living room and all of the fabric is folded nicely. I even had room to store my sewing machines (all 3 of them). If you look carefully you can see the box I made to hold the bed up. Damn I am crafty!!!

Friday before the kids came home I went and picked up my books for my classes. Totally freaking out as I start school tomorrow. Kids and I had a pretty chill night together. Nothing exciting.

Saturday I took them out to Monsters vs. Aliens. They said they all really liked it. I can't say I really liked it and I can't say I hated it. It had some funny moments. Mini-me was totally awesome and watched the kids so I could go have dinner with a friend. Which turned into a fun night with a few other people. I got home after 2 this morning.

Today we got creative and made a video to enter a contest on YouTube. Lowe's is having a Spring Dream Challenge. I could so use some new items to keep the outside of my house in nice condition. The kids and I had a ton of fun coming up with our entry and making it. I love when my kids get creative. I love it even more when something like this comes out of being creative. The bonding & laughing we did today was just awesome. I think I am going to upload all of the bloopers to my YouTube account. Of course all of you lucky readers get to see the video here first ....

Good-Bye Spring Break 2009 I have enjoyed my time with you. Thank you for the wonderful memories.

Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr., Life's Little Instruction Book

Funny things kids say

I keep meaning to post this and was busy most of the weekend. So I am taking a break at work ...
So Friday night was just super busy for me. I got off work and Mini-Me and Little Bird picked me up from work (I let her use the car on Fridays since hers died) Anyways ... we run home get Turtle and Little Man. Call Turtles friend who is staying the night to go get her then run to Home Depot to get lights for the garage as they all burned out Thursday night. Shopping with 5 kids on a Friday night is just insane. My boys would not keep there hands to themselves. This goes on for most of our time out.

So as I am finishing up making dinner they are all getting ready at the table and Little man just can't stop getting into trouble. So I turn and say "Dang it Little Man you need to knock it off. You are so on my list right now." His brother (age 5) turns and says "Why don't you just put him on Craigslist"
Ok just writing this at my desk made me laugh out loud. I am pretty sure that Little Bird was wanting me to put his brother on Craigslist like we did our dog recently. Hoping that we could just get rid of him. LOL

It is so hard not to laugh at times like that. I had to turn my back and try to act mad.