A busy few weeks!

Things to share:

- Chris got selected for Lt. Col. He probably won't pin on until later this year. That's probably the biggest news, and everything else pales in comparison!!

- The puppy is doing better. He came to us with a new surgery, and that one had to be re-done. So, hundreds of dollars in vet bills later, he is home with a lamp shade on his head. But he HATES the lampshade, so in all honesty, it is sitting here next to me, NOT on his head.

- Michael got third place in the Pinewood Derby for his den. He and Chris made a car to look like a police car, and he named it "Speedy". Original, huh?

Here he is with his trophy looking SO proud, as were we.

The kids and Chris all happened to be in their uniforms on Sat., so I took a quick pic.

- Molly and her Daisy Scouts went to 2000 Degrees to paint pottery, to our vet's for a tour and to a Cookie Rally this week. I hope they are all excited to sell their cookies. I'm hoping just being cute in their uniform will be enough and they will sell a LOT of cookies! Molly has The. Smallest. Uniform. And it's still too big!

At the vets office a dog had to have his eye removed because he had been in a fight. After the surgery the vet dissected the eye for us so we could see the lens. It was totally cool.

- I actually have a job application for Colorado Springs, which I hope pans out. It is for the pre-school where I had the kids while I was teaching in the private elementary school, and for a 3 year old position 5 days a week. Prayers for that. I loved the teachers there and hope I'd fit in well.

- We are already starting to think about our move. Selling this house, moving back, Chris teaching at USAFA, me teaching but with hours that would allow me to do full-time bus duty (both mornings and afternoons) because Chris can't. It's a lot to think about. And I don't want to be thinking about it because I am loving living here.

So. There's a lot going on in SusieWorld. Now it's time for Girls Night Out. See ya!

Introducing Smokey

Because we already have the Bandit.
And no, that's not our carpet or wallpaper - it's from the foster home. Thank God.

2008 In Review

Most people start the New Year with a resolution. I have a horrible habit of looking backwards instead of forwards. I sit and ponder the year gone by - what we did, what I would have liked to do, and what I would have done differently. I seem to always have the same secret wish for the upcoming year, and yet, rarely see many changes. This secret wish? I want to be better.

A better wife. A better mother. A better daughter. A better sister. A better friend. A better teacher. A better Christian. A better Daisy leader. Just better. It seems like so much to juggle and I tend to get overwhelmed, like I have so much to do, and I don't know where to start. So, I start with prayer.

Then, I get frustrated that things don't change immediately. I don't know what change I want, or what change I'm looking for. Just a change.

This will be the the Year of the Change. I'm changing my attitude, you see. Not so much my actions. Instead of perfection, I'm going for "as good as I can do". And in most of the areas, I can honestly say "I'm doing the best I can do." I will have a lot of changes this year in my life as I turn 40. Moving again is a biggie.

(as a side note- Chris just made me a kick-a%% milk shake, which he said "Fits in well with our new diet! Creamery ice cream, vanilla, chocolate malt and milk.)

Selling a house, buying a house, moving kids, pets, stuff. Finding a job.

However, in the midst of all the turmoil, I am thankful. Thankful for my relationships. Without the people I have in my life, I wouldn't have much life at all. Especially my husband, kids, mom, and friends. I value those relationships more than life itself. So, I just want to say thanks. Thanks for being you. Thanks for making me laugh. Thanks for letting me cry. Thanks for celebrating with me, hanging out with me, and talking on the phone with me.

But watch out. I'm the girl with the New Attitude!

Another Christmas, come and gone...

I haven't posted in awhile for two reasons -

1. I didn't want to lose the picture of me at the top (totally selfish, I know!)

2. I was busy with Christmas. I LOVE Christmas!!

We had various activities here in the Solo household. Christmas parties, cookie decorating, caroling, church services... the same as across the world. As we were singing in church on Christmas Eve and I looked around, seeing lots and lots of friends and their children, I was filled with amazement. I was wondering how many people across the world were singing Christmas carols at that exact same time. All singing, all joyous, all for the same reason. I'm sure the angels loved it.

Molly did not have an extravagant Christmas list. An Easy Bake oven and Connect 4, which she got, and he threw in the Polly Pocket Jet for good measure.

Do you wonder who is taking the pictures? We have the best neighbor in the world, Rebecca. Not ONLY did she wrap all of the gifts and hide them at her house, but they came over before 7 on Christmas morning armed with a camera and fresh quiche for breakfast!! Boy are we going to miss her and Jim when we move....they are irreplaceable.

Michael had a short list, too. He asked for Lincoln Logs, Battleship, and Sorry. Santa delivered. It will be a sad, sad year when they ask for expensive gifts!! We are encouraging them to stay young and little as long as we can. They grow up only too fast....

Christmas is a funny time when you have kids. I think the best quote was from Michael as he was dumping out his stocking. Our kids get very little candy, so the contents are a bit..."different" from most stockings, I'm sure. Michael shouts out "YES!! My favorite MEAT!!" Santa had delivered some beef jerky. I had to sit there and laugh out loud at that one.

As I sit here and think about Christmas and all that we've done, I will have several favorite memories. A childhood favorite memory is watching out the door to see my grandparents driving down from Amherst, MA. They would have stopped by my aunts and uncles in northern VA and picked up all of the presents and be arriving like Santa's sleigh down the old dirt road. Grandma would have a blanket on her lap and Grandpa would be driving, because she never learned to drive. Can you imagine that today? We would all bound out of the house for hugs, kisses, and of course, to help unload all of those presents!!

An old-ish favorite memory is caroling at the VA hospital in OH with Chris's office. I love carols.

Now we are making new memories. I wonder if my kids will remember they got to eat dinner in their pajamas on Christmas night, and they didn't get dressed for 3 days because they were busy playing!?

Now, my friends, here is my question for you. What do you remember most about Christmas past, and what do you hope your family will remember about Christmas present?? (Even though I'm sure what our families will remember is NOT what we had planned for them to remember!!)

Check ME out!

Now, let me tell you the short story behind the picture...

We had a book club weekend in Monticello. Erin is a photographer. A real one, actually. I know, I know, it seems like the "in" thing to do is buy an expensive camera, get a website, and start calling yourself a photographer. Everybody knows one of those. C'mon, don't sit there and pretend you don't. Someone who can't even get the subjects to look at the camera, much less get a decent shot of them. Well, Erin is not one of those. As evidenced by the photo.

I am not photogenic, that's no secret. I usually HATE having my picture taken, that's no secret either. I also don't like singing in front of anyone over the age of 4, but I digress. I knew that she was good at taking pictures. But I had never really been around her because I had my kids way before she started taking pictures. I had decided I did not want her to take my picture. Until she whipped it out. The camera, people...the camera. This is a family blog, remember?

All of the sudden, I realized it might be my one shot in life to get a decent picture. You know, the one to use for an obituary one day, or just to make me think that I - at one time - had a decent picture taken. And here it is, voila!

Please don't send me hate comments about your friends that bought expensive cameras and are great photographers. I already have Erin. She's the butter. Everyone else is just Parkay.

I've made a decision -

I've decided that I always want a table in my kitchen. It doesn't have to be big, or nice, or even totally cleaned off. Actually, a cheap flat surface will suffice. But here's why.

Last night was an evening that I had always dreamed of, yet one that you can't plan. I had gone to the gym, so I was only wearing work-out clothes. I was preparing dinner, unloading and loading the dishwasher, etc. Molly was doing her "math homework" for kindergarten which involved hiding a certain number of her ten bears in a cream cheese tub. She had to figure out how many were hidden by counting what was left on the table.
I had just gotten a book in the mail. Not just any book, mind you. The Book. The book that I had ordered a few weeks ago. It was from Snapfish and was our trip to Europe from August. I had used a coupon that came from Oprah (don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about here...!) and ordered the book. SO, Michael was sitting here reading the book with me helping out with hard words, like architecture. He was LOVING looking at the book and reading it. Loving it I tell you.
I was doing mommy stuff, and they were doing kid stuff. All was well, all were happy. Right there at the kitchen table. Mixed up with their Playmobil Advent calendar toys. I couldn't have planned his good reading, or her good math work. All I could plan was the yummy dinner. Sitting at the dining room table eating that dinner with Chris, Michael, and Molly was pure heaven.
Oh, the icing on the cake? Molly's headband that she was wearing was reindeer antlers. Complete with bells. I can't look at that sight and not smile.

Our Thankful Life

I usually reflect at Thanksgiving at all of the blessings we have in our lives and how good God is to us.

I was able to go to the kids' elementary school for Molly's feast. Who wouldn't be thankful for THIS??

My mom, dad, and brother all came up for the week, arriving after the game last Sat. night. I was excited to tell them all about the game, the tailgate, and what we had been doing lately. It was our last tailgate for many years (except for the Blue/White game) and although it was a sad thought, our friends helped us really enjoy it. Perhaps too much.

I'm thankful for the family we always tailgate with, go to church with, go to brunch with, have children's choir with, have dinner with, and go ice skating with. I guess we do a lot together each week, huh? Here we are at our tailgate. Prime real estate, I tell you.

My family sat around a lot this week and laughed playing games, watching football, movies, and going to Wegman's. I think my mom started a new tradition. Why cook when you can just order Thanksgiving dinner from Wegman's and enjoy the day together??

Oh, we did go to an Amish house for lunch again. The day was extended by trips to the Amish tackle and boot shop, then the soap and candle shop, and finally the dry goods shop. They had all kinds of things there. I looked at the Amish bonnets, wondered if I could dress up as an Amish lady for Halloween next year, and decided it probably wasn't in great taste. But that would have been cool, huh?

Here is my mom sitting around while I took a picture for her Facebook page.

Today Chris took the kids to Millbrook Marsh. I am thankful for this family of mine.

I'm thankful for a wonderful husband (he really is, I'm not just saying that...) and two beautiful, healthy, happy children. I wonder what I have done to deserve all of this. I'll never know. But I AM thankful.

Did you hear?

Who passed his comprehensive exam and now only has to defend his dissertation in May?? Yup, my hubbie. Christopher James Solo. Soon to have a PhD.

Life is good in the Solo household. Real good.

We went to Great Wolf Lodge with Heather and Scott last weekend to celebrate. What an incredible time THAT was!! The kids were all old enough to play together while the adults rode slides, or they could go down the slides with us. The kids played like cousins all weekend. Just good ol' playing. And loving every minute of it... It was relaxing and fun with a best friend along. And to top it off, guess who we met for dinner?

Heather and I took the kids out of school for the day on Monday (yup, we teachers value our kids education!) and then on Monday night we stopped in D.C. to have dinner with Mark. A pretty perfect ending to a pretty perfect weekend.

Things I Want to Remember

- Molly got upset with Michael because she was left to pick up the game. She came out saying "He force-fielded. I have to pick up, but I won because he force-fielded." I think she meant he forfeited.

- We were talking about moving across country to Colorado again next summer, and how the dog and the cat don't get along. We discussed possibly getting two rooms, one for me and Michael and Bandit, and the other for Chris, Molly and Jamba. However, it would have to be a hotel that allows pets. Michael chimed in "Like the Hampster Inn?" I think HE meant Hampton Inn.

- Chris has the kids making a scrapbook for earning a Scouting badge. Michael glued a picture of them going into a haunted house at Acacia fraternity. His caption? "I whent to a hatetit hous." I don't think the brothers at Acacia would agree.

An Explanation

That picture WAS the parade. The WHOLE parade. We walked around the block. That was it. People in the cars waved to us as we walked by, and the truck held up the traffic for us. We may have been small, both in stature and number, but boy, did we have FUN! It just cracks me up, still.

Happy Veteran's Day!!


We had our Veteran's Day Parade at school today, and it was the best ever. Check it out!


P.S. I found the camera!! On my dresser.

Where's the Camera?

Remember the old Wendy's commercial that said "Where's the beef?" (If you do, you are OLD.) Well, I feel like saying that for my blog. I have pictures on the camera, I just can't FIND the camera.

Imagine a picture here of the kids trick-or-treating.

This is Abby, Molly, Michael, and Carter.

Here is a pumpkin that Chris carved, too.

Now, imagine a picture here of Chris and I heading out to a formal on Sat. night.

When I find the camera, I'll post the pictures. Any ideas where it could be? We didn't take it to the formal with us....so I have no idea. I guess if I cleaned the house, I'd find it. That's a big if.

My Fun Friends

This is the email I got yesterday:

THE FIRST MEETING OF THE MAGAZINE CLUB!!

Most of you have heard me mention this pseudo-book club idea, now the time has come to make it happen! With all our schedules far too busy to actually finish a whole book (okay, perhaps that's just me), I would prefer to spend my time with the ladies eating, drinking and poking fun at the celebrities in tabloid magazines. Want to join me?

What: Magazine Club
When: Thursday, November 6th
TIME: 7:00 pm
Where: My house

We will be discussing the latest US Weekly and Star weekly celebrity rags. Just go to the store on Monday of that week and pick up the newest edition.

The intention is that the articles will fuel heated discussions as to the lack of reality in Hollywood, general silliness of those in the magazine and how both magazines are using the exact same photos/stories. Mostly though, it will be about drinking, eating and adult conversation! Hope you can make it!

Let me know via email if you can come!
jean

See why it gets harder and harder to leave this town?? The funniest part? I was reading the email to Mark and called the magazine U.S. Weekly!! I can be SUCH a blonde...

Another week gone.We took the kids to the pumpkin patch last weekend. I didn't even bother to take pictures. Seriously, if your youngest kid is in elementary school, they are too dang old to take a picture with a pumpkin!! If you want to see cute kids in pumpkin patches, check out my friends' blogs. They all have cute kids.

We brought it home and Chris carved jack-o-lanterns with the kids. They were in seventh heaven.

I tried to take pictures, but didn't have much luck.

Also, Michael joined Tiger Scouts. It's like Cub Scouts, but for first graders. Here he is in his uniform - so proud!

I've also been letterboxing on campus a few times. The first time we went with friends, I took Jean, Alexander and CJ with us.

Take notice that Alexander is missing from the photo. Here's why:

Hey, when a boy has to go, a boy has to go!

The kids finished soccer today and started ice skating lessons this evening. I'll have to remember a camera next time!

They grow up so fast, but each 'stage' is so much more exciting than the last. The pumpkin patch pictures we've outgrown, but now I get to listen to them chattering in the back seat about who they are going to "vote" for in their school election. Michael informed me that he wants to vote for Obama (he doesn't know his first name) because McCain wants us to fill our gas tanks every two minutes. I wonder which friend at school he heard THAT from? Molly wants to vote for McCain. Just because.

They really do crack me up.

Fall Is Here



Last weekend we went to a fall party. We got the EVite to the "2nd Annual Fall Festival" and all of the RSVP's were talking about how great it was last year. Hmm, I thought. Last year? Gosh, I didn't GET that invite.



So, I RSVP'd with the comment "Why didn't I get an invite last year?" The reply? "Well, it was the first month or so of school ( I taught their daughter last year) and we didn't want to look like we were trying to kiss your butt..." OK, it's not like they get report cards!!


We went last weekend, and check out the fun had by all at the Weyandt's.



This weekend is Homecoming. Mark and Kevin, two of my best friends from college, are in town for the parade and game. It's wonderful to be back together. We figured out we have known each other for 21 years. Boy, does that make me feel old.

That's just a random picture of Mikey when he was little.

Molly had a playdate the other week. The little girl was coming home with her on the bus, so the day before we all cleaned up. The kids were dusting, taking down dirty laundry, putting away toys, etc. I was vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, sweeping, etc. We all worked pretty hard for just over an hour. Finally I said "Hey, thanks! The house looks pretty good." Molly replied "We didn't need to clean the house, Mom." I said "Sure we did - your friend is coming over tomorrow!" Molly's retort? "Well, when I went to her house last week, it was a DUMP. They had stuff behind the couch and everything!"

I just had to laugh.

New Presidential Candidate... It's someone we know!

There's an effort to elect an unknown random person as President... and it's someone we know!

Watch this online video about the surprising new nominee:


http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=46832&altf=Tvtjf&altl=Tpmp

I Hope I Don't Regret It



I've taken a plunge, and I really hope it's for the best. I've actually opened up a Stampin' Up website. For those of you in the dark (ok, almost ALL of you) I'll try to fill you in. I DO sell Stampin' Up, but I don't SELL it. Does that make sense? Imagine a Tastefully Simple chick who eats all of her stuff, and will sell it to her friends, but doesn't have any "shows". Well, that is me. But instead of food, it's stamp crap. Oops, I mean Quality Stamps and Stamping Products. ha ha



The pro? My friends from other states can now order without me having to log it in for them. They can order without having to WAIT for me to log it in is more like it. And it gets shipped directly to them.

The con? I don't want to be a naggy salesperson! It is my Hobby. Not my Business. I'm afraid it won't be as fun if I take it seriously. Oh, and I have to pay $14 a month for the darn thing!

Sort of like the studio. I know, I know, you are still waiting for pictures. We closed it for the month of August, and just re-opened it in late September. Here is the problem: It is our Hobby. We don't want to take out a loan from the bank to get it going, because then there is real $ involved. But with no money, we can't advertise. And we can't pay anyone to work there. So it has to be us working there hoping people come up. We do have a sign now to put outside and that brings people in, but not a lot.

But it is SO much more than just the studio! It is our hang-out, our fort, our place to laugh, have a drink, and bitch about life in general. If we had to take it Seriously, then it wouldn't be the same. Does that make sense?

*********************************************************************************************

Let me tell you how well my Mom knows me. So, I'm on the phone to her today, telling her I'm cleaning my side of the bedroom. She tells me she as to do the same thing, that she's done the nightstand, but not the floor. I tell her "Oh, I've done the floor, and now I'm working on my NIGHTSTAND!!" Her reply? "Yes, but what does the BED look like??" I had to laugh. I had all my clothes in piles All. Over. the. Bed.

At least I get my messiness honestly. I'm just like my mother. I hope I stay that way.

The First Day of Kindergarten.

It feels like so much of my job is done. I mean, I KNOW they are still little, and there is so much ahead of us. But there is also so much behind us. Playdates now ride the bus home with her, and I probably won't know the parents. I liked it when their playdates were MY friends' kids. It was more of a playdate for me, I admit, but I trusted them with my kids if I had to run somewhere quickly. Now, these parents - gosh, when I send Molly to THEIR house - what if they have a loaded gun in the house? What if they smoke crack? I need to KNOW this. And I won't. Probably ever. It's hard for me to lose that control I have over their lives.

She now comes home with STORIES. Of what they did. Of who said what. Of who did what, and what the teacher said. She and Michael chit-chat on the walk from the bus stop, comparing days, what they ate for lunch, who had what "special" (art, P.E., music, computer lab, library), and what happened to their friends today. I love to hear it, but it sometimes makes me feel so. What's the word? Disconnected?

Tomorrow she brings her first playdate home on the bus. She's SO excited. I wonder what we'll find fun to do...

It can be hard sending small people you love SO SO SO much out into the world to start spreading their wings. I just hope people are kind to them. I think of that when I'm teaching my class, now that I have kids. I know that these little tots have parents who love THEM as much as I love MINE. It has made me a much different teacher. And I do love those tots. Just for that very reason.

Lame Blogger That I Am...

I went to our Book Club Reunion and didn't even take my camera with me! I took 2 containers of Creamery Ice Cream with dry ice, but forgot my camera. I truly am a crappy blog friend. But oh well, you can just read Erin's blog.

It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the beautiful drive down to UVA and back - perhaps because I was by myself? Listened to what I wanted to, ate what I wanted to, stopped when I wanted to, drank what I wanted to, and called whoever I wanted to on the phone. The 5.5 hour drive went by WAY to fast!

On the way home I stopped by the Va Farmer's Market off of 522 near Winchester. Yummy pumpkin pie, apple butter, peach preserves, and 3 kinds of apples found their way into my car! Oh, so did a gallon of cherry apply cider...

The book club. An interesting group of ladies. Sometimes they make me feel so OLD even though they totally don't mean to. They are all just having babies, and I was done having babies before I even MET these girls. I feel like they are where I was in life when I met them, almost. I was older. And the kids were older. I could have hugged one of them when this weekend she said "Now, I see it must have been a bit of a struggle to even MAKE it to book club..." And, they realized that I never talked about my kids during book club, because they didn't have any yet. They would NOT have wanted to hear about MY kids when it was a foreign concept, right? But now that they all have babies and toddlers, I just smile when they tell a story and exchange advice. Sometimes that life of mine seems like so long ago, and to be honest, sometimes I don't even REMEMBER that life. That first two years with both kids is sort of a hazy blur.

Or perhaps I just go through life in a hazy blur. But it's certainly a happy life! Can I just tell you how much I LOVE my life? Walking downtown to meet friends for lunch on a beautiful sunny fall afternoon. Watching Michael play soccer with his friends, and having him shout to me from the field "I got hit in the chest. I just kept on playing! And I got hit right here. And I just kept on playing!" So proud of himself. Almost as proud as I am.

Thought for the Day

THE LAW OF THE GARBAGE TRUCK - - -

I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.' He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally, just smile, wave, wish them well and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so..... 'Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.'