TOFW = Time Out For Women

I got to have a great weekend with some great women.  I have only been to one other TOFW event probably 9 years ago.  I was so glad to go again.

The theme for this year's event was - Seek the Good!  What a great thought to consider and apply in one's life.  The speakers and the music used this to base their remarks around.  It was very uplifting and inspiring.  It is good to feed one's soul!  There's so much I could share about the talks given and what I felt.  I think I will save it for a future post.

We got to start the weekend at the Orlando temple.  The traffic was outrageous - add to that construction zones and an accident.  It took us an hour longer to arrive.  We didn't get to do all we had planned at the temple but still was grateful for the short time we spent there.

 

 We had dinner that night at TGIF's.  I had the Parmesan Crusted Chicken - A sautéed chicken breast basted with Caesar Vinaigrette dressing, then finished with a Parmesan crust topping. Served with three-cheese tortelloni tossed in spinach Alfredo sauce and a side of our fresh tomato mozzarella salad. Wouldn't be complete without a little Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie - Chocolate ganache layered with peanut butter mousse in a peanut butter graham cracker crust. Topped with whipped cream and a peanut butter cup. 

 

 Great food.  Great women.  Great friends.

 Here's Dana Shaw trying to figure out how to upload our photo to the TOFW on Facebook.

 

 Here's Marji Winder trying to do the same.

 Here they both are trying to help each other. 

Me, Nicole Prime, Dana Shaw, Marji Winder

 I was taking these few pictures and then a lady behind us in the line for lunch offered to take our picture with us all together.  Thank you Nicole for lending me your black flip flops to wear since I forgot to pack mine.

Mickisha Glen

On our way home.

Another Thought!

Can you believe it?!  I am actually having another thought and THIS time I am actually posting it!  I had to laugh at Nicole's comment "I'm glad you had a thought today!" regarding my last non-existent post.

I have been a little busy - STUDYING - actually (20+ hours this week alone).  I set a goal to get all my ducks in a row to be 'qualified' and accepted to be a Non-Instructional Substitute in the school district here.  I don't have an Assoc. Degree or 60 credit hours so extra testing required.  I finished my online testing (last of 8) late last night.  Prior to that I had to take a Para Professional test at the District offices.

Today, Tues. 3/6/12 was 1/2 day of school for kids.  I had a limited amount of time this morning but got my friend, Nicole Prime to tag along on some errands for fun.  My errands you ask?

1.  Pickup Johns suits from JOS Banks - funny that I got off on the right exit and headed over but then turned N instead of S and was almost to 2nd errand before even getting the 1st one checked off my list.  Oh well - I adjust well.  Errand #1 will turn into Errand #3.

2.  Drop of Scout re-chartering paperwork at the Scout office and request printout of my own son's progress.  I have no idea where he really stands.  They don't work on merit badges at scouts (someone explain that one to me) so I'm afraid he's horribly behind but don't even know.  I was pretty on the ball with the older boys.   Maybe because they started out with a really great Scout Master (Travis Mitchell) that got them off and running from the get go and maybe because my husband was Scout Master towards the end of their scouting experience and I was his go-to-GAL for badges and record upkeep.

3.  HOBBY LOBBY!  Why else do you think I was eager to go to the Scout office to drop off paperwork?!  They are both in Ft. Myers.  I have to have a reason to go to Ft. Myers and justify the trip to Hobby Lobby!  We only had time to run in and get the fabric we had in mind and head back out.  I want to make Macey a couple of under-skirt ruffle slips to make her dresses longer and Nicole is making some adorable bibs for baby gifts -Shhhh - don't tell.  Nicole's youngest daughter had preschool so we rushed back to get her there almost on time.  Another time we will do our browsing and really enjoy.

4.  Dropped her off at home with an extra child, my daughter, and returned back to my 1st errand of picking up John's suits. 

Parker had a friend, Max over after school.  You know all they want to do is play video games.  However, when I got home I made them take a break and treated them to a cold drink of their choice @Walgreen's (exciting, I know) and found kites & gliders.  Perfect for our blustery & windy day in Florida.  A little fresh air and outside time didn't hurt anyone - not even them.

I even treated myself to a little outside time and enjoyed feeling the wind in my hair.  The boys decided to get out the skateboard, wood board, broom stick and take each other for a ride.

Macey and Janiel came back to our house.  It is never hard to get them to be outside.  They are masters at tree climbing.  We have the perfect tree in our front yard and they spend HOURS up in it!  Literally!

Macey & Me

Our Stake had a first annual Mother/Daughter Day Out!  So guess what Macey & I did?  We went. 

 Macey and I might butt heads about a lot of things but she seems to love it when we get to do things 'just the two of us'!  She's always asking, "when can just you and I . . .?"  I am grateful she wants to do things with me.  I hope this will always be!

We missed the scout garage sale (darn! only 2nd one in 10yrs I've missed and longest one ever!).  We got to take our friends the Rice's with us to the 'girl' activity and met some other friends there.  It was held about an hour away.  It didn't take as long to get there as we thought (we had planned for 90 minutes).  It was held at Caloosahatchee Regional Park in Alva, FL.  (Basically out in the boon docks - but boon docks with some really nice houses along the way).

They took our picture and had a portable printer to print them on the spot.  We made picture frames and hung them on string with clothespins to dry and display - cute!

We made flower rings, pins or barrets out of pipe cleaners (courtesy of Martha Stewart, I'm told).  They were the most awesome creations!

We painted nails - Macey chose a deep bright red.  It actually was a pretty color.

We also got to put 'temporary' tatoos on the girls and the girls on their moms.  Thank goodness Macey chose 3 small glittery flowers for me since they were still there the next day at church.  (I noticed them after I had sat down from speaking).

 

We did a relay race where the girls had to be the mom and the mom got to be the girl.

We took a little hike but got a great picture of all the girls we had.  I had a great time spending time with my favorite gal - my daughter, Macey.

Sewing Basics!

Macey will come up with an urge to do something and wants to have done it yesterday!  She decided she wanted to learn how-to sew.  The way she worded it to me, "I want to learn how to sew, but you probably won't teach me."  When have I ever denied such a request.

It did make things a little difficult to grant such a request since my sewing machine is currently not working.  However, Macey's friend Janiel has a mom that is an excellent seamstress.  I suggested we team up with them.  Smart move on my part, if I do say so myself.  She already had a pattern and had previously taught a 4-H sewing class back in Utah.  Bonus!

Monday night Macey and I made a run to JoAnn's for fabric = $7.  Tuesday we got started about 11am at the Prime's house.  The girls pinned on the pattern, cut out the fabric and sewed their pj pants all on their own with minimal interference from the moms.

Pinning

Cutting

 

Nicole was an awesome teacher.  The most help they needed was feeding the elastic through the waistband.

Nicole Prime & daughter, Janiel

Janiel sewing

Macey sewing - first time!

 We started about 11am and finished about 2:30p.  We even had lunch in between.  I was so surprised they were able to go home with their finished product!  What an accomplishment.

Two fun friends!

Two silly girls!

Our Shadow Is Gone - Jan. 6, 2011

I don't remember exactly what the day consisted of but it seemed like it was kind of a busy day.  With what - I'm having a hard time remembering now.

After school though - Macey had invited her friend Janiel over after school.  Her friend Jenna from across the street was here when Janiel arrived.  I was visiting for a few minutes with Nicole, Janiel's mom when she dropped her off.  Her other little girls got out of the car and we were all mingling together.

Next thing I know the older girls come bounding down the stairs all talking at once.  "Mom, one of the hamsters is dead."  My next words, "Really?  Are you sure?" They all said at once, "Yes, yes, and the other one is eating it."   YUK!  Trying to be calm, "Ok, well, bring the cage down so we can figure it out and take care of it."  So, they bring the cage down and yes, yuk!  It was a little disturbing.  Nicole and I tried to shoo the littlier girls away.  I didn't really want them to see that.  Dead it was.  Ham the hamster was still alive but our Shadow was gone.

Quickly, I'm instructing all three bigger girls to do different things - never mind that its not their hamster.  "Macey, where's the shoebox from your new tennis shoes from Christmas?" "Find a bucket in the garage so we can get the other hamster out of the cage so we can clean it."  "Get one of the old towels out in the garage so we can clean and dry the cage."    "Where's the leather glove?" (the remaining hamster nips when we have cleaned the cage so therefore the need for protective hand covering).

The girls were going to go bury it - Macey carrying the shoebox coffin, Janiel carrying the camera to take pictures of the burial and Jenna carrying the shovel.

Jenna, Macey & Janiel

Shoebox for Shadow

However, I decided they needed to wait for Parker since it was his hamster that had died.  I headed to the bus stop to get him.  He got home and they all headed into the 'woods' behind our house together.

It wasn't too long before Parker came back in upset & mad.  He and Macey had been arguing about who was going to do what.  Who got to choose the spot to bury Shadow, who got to dig the hole, who got to do this and who got to do that.  So I go out back hollering for Macey to come here!  I made her friends stay in the backyard while Parker, Macey and I hash out in the house all the "he said this, and she said that, and he did this and she did that"stuff!  Macey talks back in a nasty tone and gets herself in more trouble and then ends up in tears which isn't unusual lately.  I had to tell her that if she & Parker couldn't come to a resolution then the friends would have to go home.  Family comes first.

In the end it was one of those teaching moments where we get to talk through their actions and words.  About the fact that if they had just been thinking of the others feelings, been willing to communicate more clearly with each other and willing to really listen to what the other person was saying - all the arguing could have been avoided.
 .
What is really fair?  How should things be divided?  Who should do what?  How would you feel if the tables were turned and the other person was treating you the way you are treating them or they are saying to you what you are saying to them?  If one person decides on the 'burial' spot then maybe the other person should get to dig the entire hole.  Macey was concerned that her friends wouldn't get to do anything.  I had to point out that it wasn't their hamster that had died.  They could each put a shovelful of dirt on after, etc.

It all worked out in the end.

You hope the whole process produces some good because these teaching moments can be exhausting and emotionally draining for the mom at times.

There wasn't much play time after all this.  Our time was limited as it was.  Everyone got a small, quick, personal microwaved pizza (friends, too) before needing to get out the door and down to the the other ward's building to help a friend set up for her son's Eagle Court of Honor.  Whew!  What a day!

Farewell Friend!

Judy Wheeler has been a dear friend for I don't know how many years. Her son, Ethan, graduated with Riley and she has been a huge 'friend of scouting'! She was there to help me move when I needed her and I was there to help her move when she needed me.

She is an amazing woman - dentist and lawyer, school teacher, scout leader and more. She is now working for an Indian tribe out in New Mexico and we wish her well in her new adventures. She was so excited for the outdoor activities to experience in her new neck-of-the-woods.

I told her if she wants more help organizing and dejunking she can just fly me on out to New Mexico! It couldn't be any worse than sorting through her storage unit in the Florida humidity and heat!