lessons learned.

What's that scent you're wearing?  an entire cup of coffee.

So I'm back in school. Back in crazy chasing around my tail morning mode.Back in rush out rush in mentality. This week...was hard....I broke down...it got the best of me. The teacher learned herself  some lessons.

I long to be a SAHM. Loooonggggg.. We had the talk about this week... for the seventh time.  You Working Mom's know the one... " Seriously.... we can't make it wooooorrrrk?I'll cut out Target!! Swear!"  And alas, I could stay home....but the bank would own our home and kick us out thus leaving Lilly's ruffled butt homeless.  So I work. And honestly, during the day is not hard. I have a darling bunch of kids and I really do enjoy teaching. It's the afternoons that are hell. The drive to my sitter's is seriously 12,009 times longer than  in the morning. I always seem to get stuck behind the most RANDOM things. Trains. Old ladies. GOLF CARTS.  When I pick her up and my sitter tells me about Lilly's day THOSE the moments when  I realize how much I missed her. When she reaches back for the sitter when I get her in my arms. THAT'S when the tears flow.  WHen I get home and see that she's basically beginning to stand on her own and I DIDN'T SEE IT.....THAT'S when I realize that I missed so much that it hurts. When I have to start the bedtime routine and I feel like I JUST got home...THAT'S when I hate working so much.

Maybe we didn't plan well enough. Maybe I didn't really realize how important it would  be to me. Maybe my brain has been taken over by lilly powers.  Maybe it's just something you learn. I don't know.

I learned some valuable lessons this week.

1. DON'T push snooze for an hour each day. The extra sleep only adds extra chaos when you only allow yourself 45 minutes to shower, dress, eat, wake baby, pack lunches, feed baby, and get out the door. Der.

2.  DON'T take two mugs of coffee for your drive. YES, the extra cup helps get that little jump start.  However, it really sucks when you're not paying attention and allow THE.ENTIRE.MUG. to spill on your pants on the way to school. Teaching in coffee pants and DRENCHED unnnawares is disgusting.
3. DON'T place too many expectations on your 11 month old on how she "should" act when you leave and/or arrive.  When she doesn't fit your "what she should do's" you'll cry. and get very sad.

4. ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT.

5. Wake up on time.....you get play time with your baybeeeee. and that makes everything better.

6. Two travel mugs. Silly? Yes. Essential? Most def.

You know? 11 months in and I'm still a hot mess a lot of times. I learn so much about myself everyday. Becoming a mother has brought out issues I thought were dead. Has made me become stronger than I ever thought possible. Has strengthened friendships. Has weakened others. And most importantly has filled a spot in my heart that I never knew was empty.

Did you miss me? :)

Are you ready?

Peyton, Joseph, Kelvin, Pierre, Dallas, Austin, Jeff, and Gary

My boys are back in town!! :)

and whattya know? So are some Colts-esque clippies and bands.

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I don't discriminate.I'll design a bow/band for your favorite team! I've done some cutesy IU bands and one dreadfully {can'tbelieveI'msayingthis}adorable Purdue band too.

TV?check!

Lazy Sunday?check!

Polar Pop? check!

Chips and Salsa? check!

Cute little girl in her sports gear and hair bow ready to help cheer with mommy and daddy?

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!

omgsh.



busy.




brb.



pinky.

a cupcake could solve this problem

Every year around the second week in August I have the same  dream several nights in a row.

I can't sleep tonight.I didn't have the dream tonight captian obviously because I'm not sleeping yet. Der. But... I kept thinking about it.  My  body is exhausted but my mind just  won't slow down. I think this another curse of being a woman. Childbearing. HIPS. Constant thinking.  Darn you Eve!

Anyway, I've seriously had this dream AT LEAST 15 times over the past 5 years. I tossed and turned for a good hour tonight and thought oh heck...just get up and snoop on the internet for a while. Now I'm going to blog about it. Because that's what normal people do right? They snoop and then think OH! I should write this down. Right?

Wow...get on with it Laura.

So in my dream I'm in front of a classroom. It's never been a class full of students that I have actually had. Just a random grouping of 10 year olds. They are going NUTS. Like chasing each other around the room, eating random things like tissue paper (actually had a group of 5 kids do this once....), jumping off desks, screaming, girl fighting,  crying, kids telling me "YOU CAN"T MAKE ME!!"  defiant kids barking under desks.... just all around CHAOS. The entire dream is me trying to get control of this class. I'm yelling, screaming, reasoning, and threatening and NOTHING works. Basically the dream is me trying to get the attention of these maniacs and I can't. They don't listen. They throw things at me. They completely ignore me. Over and over this dream occurs. It is literally my worst nightmare. Some people have the fear of public speaking. Some people have the fear of spiders. I have the fear of not being able to control 10 year olds.

Good thing this is just a dream. Good thing I can command the attention and respect ( for the most part) of a group of 25 10 year olds all while teaching them to love learning, show ALL their work ALL of the time, read books and then read MORE books, and telling them "no you may not use the restroom"...again.

Tomorrow I meet my kids and their parents. My kids that I will be devoted to from 9-4 five days a week until May 23rd.  I have a professional yet trendy dress picked out. I have my jar of 196 pencils on my desk. I have  love from and  for Lilly in my heart {and 12,394,223 pictures of her on my desk}, and I've mentally prepared to be FIRM and approachable, and I'm ready to make them LOVE me.

When a student LOVES you? They'll do anything for you.

Now if only I could make this nagging-reoccurring-nerves-dream have a happy ending...maybe a cupcake before bed? Doesn't eating sugary foods before bed make you have crazy dreams? I'd love a crazy shopping spree- celebrity bff (CARRIE!), I have the perfect hair and a Volkswagen jetta and I have dolphins in my backyard kinda crazy dream tonight.  Is that just a myth? :)

I blinked and it was over

We went to the lake this weekend with the fam. A sorta last hooorahrah of the summer.  We gamed. We laked. We ate Crownies !!COOKIE!!! BROWNIES!! {I'll let that sink in for a moment. I know....} While there, Lilly came down with a fever and  she turned into a sort of cranky tired sweetheart maniac. She's all better now. Don't you just love those worst possible times to get sick baby moments? 

sick...but a HAM nonetheless.

So I'm back from the hoorahrah and  in a moments notice my life went from ahh....summer. lemonade. napping. oprah. shopping. pool. lunch dates.giggling. cheerios. sippy cups. love. blazing hot summer breeze blasting to

bulletin boards! class lists! name tags! curriculum! behavior plans!  new principal! what do I wear for parent night! PARENT NIGHT!!!!!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SCHOOOLLLLL!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!


I miss summer already.

lillypie open houses

Just sent off a big happy box of lillypies to North Carolina. No really...a BIG box. :) Lillypie Accessories has now expanded to do in-home showcases similar to silpada, mary kay, and pampered chef parties. North Carolina is the lucky state chosen to host the first.

This past week I spent countless hours crafting 35 lillypie bands, clippies, bows, jewelry, and bobby pins. That big happy box is the merchandise that will be shown. Guests of this open house may browse and buy any items. Orders will also be taken of custom designs as well as replicas of the showcase designs.

The hostess of the showcase will earn $5 lillypie credit for every $25 purchased (excluding shipping).

Reasons why you should love this idea:
 immediate accessories
girl time
girl time
girl time {no kiddies}
snacks
chocolate
barefoot muscato? :) :)
creative inspiration
confidence that you are buying from a mompenuer who truly loves what she's doing

I am now booking shows  from September-November.

** local  photographers/ mompenuers!! team up with Lillypie for extra exposure**

Contact me for a mini-session party plus accessories...win win!

giving{thanks}

ALERT! Lillypie giveaway on Allison's bloggity blog. It's a magenta band with a magenta poppy. It's presh and you can get it FOR FREE if you hop on over. The giveaway ends tomorrow. So you'll need to scoot.

Thankful on a Thursday

I know we all have days where things are SUCK! and nothing is going right! and my self image is low! and I have too many of those days. Especiallly lately.

I deleted my previous post because I was embarassed.  My insecurites got the best of me and on a whim I logged onto blogger and ch.ch. deleted that sucker. And now? I wish I wouldn't of . Anyway, I was ashamed and shouldn't of been. But I was. Long cuddlefestswith baby, heart to heart with the bestie, a new pair of pants and one KILLA pair of shoes later and I feel much better. :)

Dear LORDY!. I have so much to be thankful for! How ungrateful of me to allow myself to wallow in self pity?

That is NOT the girl I want to be. That is NOT the girl I am.

Today? I am thankful ...

...that my family lives close by.

...that I'm meetin my momma downtown for lunch and I know it will make her day.

...that my lilly girl is napping in her pack and play in her room and that my blood pressure no longer skyrockets at the thought or mere mention of the work NAP.

...that I'm going to get my hair done tonight. :) pamper time for LOVA!

...that my lillypie business is taking off and that i'm enjoying it more and more everyday.

... that people forgive. and that I am able to forgive.

...that the Loft gives a sweet teacher discount!!

...that I have a JOB. and that I see my job as stable.

...for old songs that INSTANTLY take you back to a memory.

...that my family and I are getting away to a weekend in a cabin.

...that this record HEAT WAVE is easing up in TIME for the weekend cabin getaway. :) holla.

...that even when I'm feeling far from God, I can always draw near to HIM.

...that I've been able to RESIST the chicfila temptation that I've had EVERDAY.

...that I have a BEAUTIFUL and HILARIOUS Personality FILLED daughter who fills my heart with so much joy I could cry....and often do. :)

...that I am emotional, sensitive, dramatic, and energetic.It makes me, ME. I should stop seeing those qualitities as negative. :)

What are you thankful for today?

Please don't say chicfila...you might cause me to stumble from my fasting. ha.