On borrowed time

       It is a terrifying thought.  Some teacher, some person you don't know is going to be with your child eight hours a day for the next 36 weeks! They are going to be solely responsible for your child's happiness and wellbeing for the major part of every day. You wonder if they are going to like your child. Are they going to be kind, be fair, be understanding? You are literally turning over your most precious possession in the entire world to a complete stranger.
       Tonight when you tuck your baby into bed and pause at the doorway for one more look, know that tomorrow, you will leave them in good hands. We teachers know your fears and we know your uncertainty.  I will understand when you linger near the classroom door not wanting to leave.  I know you may park down the street and watch from a distance as the kids file out for recess.  And most importantly, I know you are loaning me, for a precious few months, your whole world.
       Our days will be filled with spelling words, and counting blocks, crayons, scissors, and glue sticks.  But they will also be filled with laughter and stories, funny faces, skinned knees, and hurt feelings.  I will be there to wipe noses, tie shoes, zip zippers, and straighten pony tails.  I will give reminders to wash hands, and share materials.  I will mediate playground disagreements, and make suggestions for better choices.  But most important, I will love them like their mine, knowing it's on borrowed time. 
       There are going to be times I will correct and discipline them.  They will make mistakes and I will help them learn from them.  They will get in trouble for talking too much and playing in the bathroom.  They will scream in the cafeteria, and run in the hallway. They will throw a rock across the playground, and  say something not very nice to a classmate.  I will mark on their card or make them move their clip but most important, I will love them like their mine, knowing it's on borrowed time.
       On the days that lunch boxes get left in backseats and library books have gone missing, I'll  make sure they buy a lunch tray and help them search their desk and backpack.  On the days that homework isn't returned and P.E. shoes have been forgotten, I'll smile and remind myself that being six is a lot of work and we just won't sweat the small stuff.  On the days that little eyes are sleepy and tummies kind of hurt, I'll have extra hugs to give and will demand a little less.  But most important, when your kids walk through my door, I will love them like their mine, knowing it's on borrowed time. 
       So on those occasions when I make a mistake (and I will)  treat me with the same kindness I have shown your child.  When the day comes that I forget to send home a spelling contract be understanding.  It will be the same day that I forget to eat lunch.  On the day that I don't respond quickly enough to your email, remind yourself that I probably haven't had the chance to use the bathroom since 7:45 that morning.  When I enter a grade wrong try to understand that 22 children with 5 subjects and countless assignments can occasionally get keyed in wrong.  I am more than willing to correct any mistakes I make.  Just politely bring it to my attention.  If your waiting for me at my classroom door first thing in the morning to discuss something you feel I've done wrong, soften the blow with a Diet Coke from Sonic.  I will forever be in your debt.  And always remember, I love your child like their mine, knowing it's on borrowed time. 
       Tomorrow morning you are going to take your baby to school and entrust them to their teacher for the next nine months.  And we teachers know, that while they are rightfully yours, we have the privilege and honor of loving them like our own even though it's just a loan. 

      

The Tooth Fairy Stole my Baby

I was so excited when Wilson lost his first tooth. He was in Kindergarten and had just turned 6 years old.  I remember thinking how excited we had been when that tiny bottom tooth had finally broken through his swollen little gums. He was about six months old and that little tooth made him look so adorable.  Now, it was gone.  There hadn't been any drama about pulling it out. He just wiggled that tooth until it was loose enough to pull and then there it was, in a little treasure box the school nurse had given him. He was so excited that his name was going up on the "Look Who Lost a Tooth" board in his classroom and I was excited about this milestone and his first visit from the Tooth Fairy.  After that, his teeth started to fall out quicker than I could keep up with. Within a year, he had lost 7 of his baby teeth and his adult teeth were quickly coming in.

Then, the other night as I tucked him into bed, I realized the Tooth Fairy hadn't just been taking the teeth and leaving the money, she had taken my baby and left me a boy.  Gone was the baby who chewed on  frozen teething rings. Gone was the toddler who could finally bite into a cookie.  Gone was the little boy who picked a green rubber lizzard out of the prize box at his first dentist visit.  He was gone and in his place was is this amazing boy. A boy who no longer needed a pacifier but now needed a mouth piece (attached to a football helmet)! A boy who no longer takes baths but showers.  A boy who listens to music on his iPod and sits through non-animated movies without squirming and talking.  A boy who loves to read and draw and write stories.  I love the boy he has become. I love the baseball games, the video games and the wrestling obsession. I love funny things he says and his goofy sense of humor.  I love everything he is and everything he is becoming.

It is all going by so quickly. Everyone says that children grow up in the blink of an eye and I am learning that this is true.

Sometimes when we are leaving school, Wilson will reach out and take my hand as we walk to the car.  I slow my pace, knowing that when we cross that parking lot and reach the car, he is going to let go. And too soon, the boy who holds my hand will be gone.  These precious moments that I have today will be lost as quickly and surely as those baby teeth. 

 

Vegas According to Angie

A few years ago my friend Cindy and her husband were planning a trip to Vegas.  They had never been, so she asked me to put together a list of things for them to see and do while they were there. When she got back home she told me the list was a huge hit so the Vegas Must-do List was born.  It has changed and evolved over the years. There are new additions as Vegas is constantly changing and of course the deletion of others which have either closed or we've decided must have sucked all along.  Roger and I typically go to Vegas in July.  Roger's agency sends him to an annual "Fiscal Responsibility" training (ironic that fiscal responsibility training takes place in the gambling capital of the world huh) and I always tag along to keep him company.  If you have never been to Vegas this might help you figure out what you do and don't want to do.  And if you have been to Vegas maybe you will recognize some of your favorites. I should warn you though, we aren't really gamblers so I don't have many good suggestions on the best places to hit it big.   So here it is....Vegas according to Angie

Dining:
When most people think of Vegas, they think of casinos and gambling. I think food and buffets.  Strange I know but its the truth. Now every casino in Vegas is going to have a buffet, but some aren't worth your time or money and others shouldn't be missed.  Our favorite is Spice Market Buffet at Planet Hollywood.  This buffet has every imaginable type of food.   The different cuisines are offered at separate stations and there are dozens to chose from.  The biggest problem you are going to have here is how to discretely unbutton your pants so that you can breath.  We've eaten here for breakfast and dinner and have never been disappointed.  The champagne brunch buffet at the Flamingo is surprisingly good and also inexpensive. The buffet at Ceasars Palace is awful.  This is a real tragedy for us since Ceasars is where we usually stay.  The food isn't very good, the selection is worse and they want you to pay $36.99 for it. No thanks. 
Now the best Restaurant in Vegas is a little hole in the wall called Battista's. Thank you to my sweet cousin Sarah Kay for finding this little gem.  It's off the strip, one block behind the Flamingo.  It is in a little strip mall between a liquor store and a laundry mat (I'm not kidding).  They aren't open for lunch so make plans to go for dinner.  It is all Italian and all delicious.  Battistas is a pay one price, I believe $24.99 for all you can eat and drink.  You chose your main dish and it comes with all you can eat salad, bread, and dessert.  The real treat here is the all you can drink wine.  They bring a carafe of red  and white wine to your table and off you go.  Now Roger isn't a huge wine drinker but even he gets into to spirit here.  Besides the never ending flow of wine and the fantastic atmosphere, there is a cute little old man who comes around to serenade you with his mandolin.  He is about a hundred and four years old and clearly has different ideas regarding appropriate amounts of personal space.  So even with 4 glasses of wine in him, Roger finds him annoying and intrusive.  I however think he is adorable even when he is singing "Mi Amor"  3 inches from my face.   Another favorite restaurant is Serendipity.  It is located right on the strip in front of Caesar's.  They serve burgers, sandwiches and the most incredible ice cream desserts you can imagine.  We enjoyed it so much the last time we were in Vegas we ate there twice!  The outdoor patio is a fun place to people watch if you can stand the heat.  If you don't make it for a meal here at least stop and get a dessert.  While not uniquely Vegas, we always eat at PF Chang's at Planet Hollywood.  If you go at sunset and get a table outside you have a fantastic view of the Bellagio fountains.  My last suggestion for good food in Vegas are any of the really cheap buffets downtown on Fremont Street.  Think $6.99 for all you can eat steak and shrimp; yeah, that's cheap.   This is also where you will find the original casinos like The Golden Nugget and The Plaza. More on downtown and its offerings in a bit.
Fun stuff to see and do:
The water fountain show in front of the Bellagio is an absolute must see. It is set to music and absolutely breathtaking. It starts at the top of the hour all day but it's best to see it after dark because the lights reflect off the lake making it even more beautiful.  The sexy pirate show at Treasure Island (now called TI) is fun. It starts every hour on the hour after dark. Crowds are really heavy so put your wallet in your front pocket and hold onto your purse. The Mirage has an erupting volcano out front. It goes off about every 45 minutes after dark. It is worth seeing if you are in the area and you might get lucky and see some unfortunate pigeon with poor timing accidentally get flambeed by the spewing fire that shoots some 50 feet in the air. The New York New York Casino has a great roller coaster for the adventure seekers.  It closes frequently due to "high winds".  Now I live in Lubbock so I know what high winds look like and seriously a stiff breeze closes this thing down so don't set your heart on riding it.  The casino at NYNY is set like it's in Central Park and is really cool.  We like to stop in to grab a slice of pizza or a pretzel and stroll through.  Cesar's Palace has a fantastic mall that has to be seen to be appreciated.  Likewise, Planet Hollywood has a great mall complete with an indoor thunderstorm including thunder and lightening.  The MGM is massive.  We have walked around that place for hours and I don't think we've seen even half of it.  The main entrance off the strip will take you to the lion habitat which is fun to watch.  Speaking of exotic animals, the Mirage still has their white tigers on display although not as prominently since one of them tried to eat Sigfried, or was it Roy? Anyway, you can still see them just off the main lobby.  The Paris is a beautiful casino inside and out.  When you walk by, stop at the fountain next to the Eiffel Tower and share a kiss.  This is where Roger dropped to one knee and proposed to me so it is an obvious favorite of ours.  Another really fun place to hang out is at Carnival Court outside Harrah's.  It's an outdoor bar with a stage for live music.  This is a great place to sit and relax with a drink.  You can watch the bands and the bar has crazy bartenders.  Think Tom Cruise circa 1988 in Cocktail.  Just inside Harrah's is a great piano/karaoke bar.  O'Shea's is a little tiny casino right on the strip that is easy to miss if you aren't looking for it.  This is one of the few places we actually gamble.  They have really cheap tables and ridiculous games like beer pong and war. 

Downtown:
The downtown area is know as the Freemont Street Experience and is a two block stretch of casinos, shops, and tattoo parlors. This is where the original casinos like Binions and the Golden Nugget are. The best thing down town besides the freak show of locals is the CHEAP and GOOD food (think steak and shrimp for $6.99)as well as the really loose slot machines. There is an amazing light show on an overhead awning. It really is worth the trouble to get there. You can either take a taxi which will cost you about $20 each way from the strip or take the City Bus for about $1.25. Now I should warn you that you will be riding with the common public transit riff-raff. Lots of prostitutes and welfare waitresses. But we are adventurous and usually opt for the bus. On our last visit, I sat next to a scary man with a goiter on the side of his neck the size of a small cat. Needless to say I had lost my appetite for my $2.99 all you can eat rib buffet by they time we got there.

Porn:
If you've never been to Vegas read this part really well.  There is porn everywhere, you just have to learn to ignore it if it offends you.  There are guys (but not just guys, some women as well) standing about every 4 feet for the entire 3 mile stretch of the strip.  Their job is to hand out as many little porn cards as they can.  They literally shove them in your face as you walk down the strip. We affectionately call them the "flickers" because they flick the cards against each other as they forcefully try to hand you one. If you've had a few drinks and want some free entertainment play a little game we like to call mix-up the mexican (don't get offended, my husband Roger CARDENAS named it.) It is a simple game...Take the 1-800 HOTT CHIXX card from Julio and then try to give it to Guillermo who is standing only 3 feet down the strip trying to pass out www.babes2urhotel.com cards. It is hilarious to watch them try to avoid your card while trying to hand out their cards.

Walking:
You will do lots of it. Wear comfy shoes.  Don't be fooled by the deceptive appearance of how close things look. The casinos and hotels are MASSIVE which make them look much closer than they really are. Get the daily tram pass and use it when you can. Many years ago Roger and I decided we would walk from Circus Circus back to the Paris.  NOT RECOMMENDED.  This was the same trip that I had the bright idea to pierce my belly button.  I have managed to suppress most of it but I do have occasional flash-backs of walking in the oppressive heat with a fresh puncture wound rubbing against the waistband of my shorts.  Not my brightest idea! Don't try to hail a cab from the strip, they won't stop.  You have to go into a casino and go to the valet parking area to get a cab.  If you have time to go to the RIO, go. It is off the strip but the gambling is great and the atmosphere is fun. They have a carnival like parade that moves along the ceiling of the casino. They throw beads and trinkets down onto the casino floor as you gamble. Again, don't be tricked into thinking you can walk there from the strip. We tried that once. It took over an hour, we had to cross a major interstate where we not only dodged vehicles but homeless people. I did have the good fortune of becoming uncomfortably familiar with a homeless man who had three teeth, wore a paper birthday hat and kept arguing with a bush. He followed us a good portion of the way but thankfully he stopped to urinate on a stop sign and we were able to get some distance between us.

Well, there it is.  Vegas in a nutshell. 

 

Girl Friends

Men have countless advantages over women.  They often get better jobs, make more money and have far more opportunities.  Men don't have to chose between families and careers. When men marry and start families they are considered stable and tend to advance in their career.  Men, unlike women, even have an easier time aging.  When men get gray hair they are described as distinguished. If they start balding, they shave their entire head and claim to be trendy.  For crying out loud, men don't even have to sit down to pee!  They have never known the paralyzing fear of having to use some god-awful Allsups bathroom somewhere along Highway 83 between Mernard and Kerrville.  Seriously, they have never had to stand there, thighs quivering as you attempt to pee without touching that nasty toilet.  If you ask me, that sounds like a pretty good gig.  But, there is something that women have that men never will, girl friends.  I don't mean girlfriends, I mean girl friends. 
Only women know the pure happiness and fulfillment that we get from our relationships with other women.  Sure, men have friends.  They go out and get a beer, watch a basketball game or take a weekend fishing trip.  They do have that, but men don't have a RELATIONSHIPS with their friends.  Women have girl friends with whom they are emotionally and spiritually tied.  Every woman has a small circle of friends that complete her world.  The beauty of girl friends is that they know you, love you and accept you for the wonderful mess you are. 
When you are a girl, they are the friends that you talked to on the phone for hours about boys and homework and the injustice of curfews.  They spent the night at your house and fought with your siblings as if they were their own. In my world, these friends are Melissa and Staci and we were inseparable .  In college, these are the friends who made sure you didn't get left in the bathroom of the bar after last call and who took an Ag Science course with you just so you could stare at the hot guy whose name you didn't even know. In my world these friends are Kim and Nadia.  As an adult, these friends wore ugly bridesmaids dresses and planned unforgettable bachelorette parties.  They rejoiced in the news of your pregnancy and relished in the comfort of knowing they weren't the only ones to experience engorged boobs and post-delivery diarrhea.  They understood and consoled you during the first weeks and months of parenting and your sleep deprived craziness.  In my world these friends are Cindy, Amy, and Kara.  The real beauty of girl friends is that the bond lasts a lifetime.  I could pick up the phone right now and call any one of these friends and we would pick up right where we left off. 
Girl friends can laugh and be silly.  Girl friends tell each other their hopes, dreams, and fears. We can say what we think without worry of judgement or ridicule.  We can even 'ugly cry' in front of our girl friends.  You know the type of crying where your nose and mascara run, your face gets red and blotchy, and you let out the occasional snort.  Can you imagine a man ever being that vulnerable in front of another man.  Yes, men have some advantages but they don't have girl friends.   We might not be able to pee standing up but you can bet we'll have a girl friend near by to hold our purse while we wobbily hover over a dirty Allsups toilet!!

A Heart of Stone and a Potty of Poop

The last time I had a summer off was 1989. I was 14 years old and I didn't have a care in the world. School was out for the summer and I was too young to have a job. That left me plenty of time to do a whole lot of nothing much. My friends and I hung out at the pool and at each others houses. We stayed up way too late and slept in way too often. We spent Friday nights at the Skate Ranch and lots of afternoons at the mall. Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, and Like a Prayer were playing on the radio and our evenings were spent at the movie theater watching Batman, Back to the Future II and Heathers.

Ahh, those were the good days. Or so I thought.

Twenty one years later I finally got another summer off. No school, no work, just plenty of time to enjoy the summer. But this summer was so much better because I got to share it with my amazing little people. This summer I hung out at the pool again but I wasn't boy watching, I was watching a boy...my boy. I was teaching Wilson to swim. He not only learned to swim, he also learned to dive and to do several impressive tricks off the diving board. Not bad for a 5 year old. We also stayed up late. I think I made it all the way to 11:00pm one night. Certainly not the late nights of my youth but chasing after two small children really wears you out. Our Friday nights were filled with movies and icecream and popcicles on the porch. We loved Toy Story 3, Dispicable Me, and Shrek Forever After. There were lots of trips out to the mall to enjoy story time at Barnes &Noble and afternoons at the playground. We went to Science Spectrum and the library. Wilson went with his grandparents and cousins to Red River on his first out of town trip without his mommy and daddy and in June my baby girl turned 2 years old!

When I was 14 I thought a perfect summer was sitting around with my friends counting the days until we got our drivers license and anxiously awaiting the start of High School. Now my idea of a perfect summer is a little different. A perfect summer is one where your 2 year old easily potty trains herself. A perfect summer is having a little boy who returns from vacation with his grandparents holding a rock he found for you that is in the shape of a heart. This summer I found true happiness. Happiness is a heart of stone and a potty of poop.

The rock Wilson brought me from Red River

Such a big girl

Educating Mommy

I had a lump in my throat before the door clicked shut behind me.  I just barely made it to the parking lot before the tears came.  I sat there knowing I had to leave but I couldn't make myself drive off.  The tears burned my eyes and ran down my face.  How was I going to leave Wilson here with complete strangers.  He was only 11 months old and had never been in daycare before. I just knew that he would find some rogue marble and choke on it before they could get to him.  What if they forgot to give him his sippy cup and dehydration sat in before I got back to pick him up.  Surely these people didn't know how to take care of my baby.  How was he ever going to nap with 8 other kids in the room? How were they going to know when he was hungry?  I was certain that I would get a call before the end of the day.  The call never came.  I got there to pick him up expecting to find him waiting by the door.  I burst into the room to see him sitting on the floor with a little friend playing with a puzzle.  He was perfectly happy and content.  He was not choking on a marble and he appeared to be well hydrate.  Was it really possible that my baby could survive out in the world without me?  Well maybe not out in the real world but he could clearly navigate the world of daycare without missing a beat.  Of course every day wasn't perfect.  He was repeatedly bitten by a little terror named Courtney.   He got a piece of a crayon stuck in his nose when he was about two.  He had his first playground brawl with his good buddy Zach over the posession of a red wagon.  He had tantrums when he got overwhelmed and he didn't always take a nap.  But there were hundreds of wonderful days.  He brought home artwork made of macaroni noodles and yarn.  There were field trips to Barnes and Noble.  There were Christmas musicals and Valentines parties, poster board projects and Show and Tells.  But most importantly were the friends we made. Wilson has been incredibly blessed with some wonderful teachers.  Miss Grace, Miss Susie, Miss Allison, Miss Dueland, Miss Badillo, Miss Kristen, Miss Rodriguez, Miss Lee,  Miss Supreya, Miss Donalyn and Miss Babs.  They have all helped shape the amazing little boy that Wilson has become.  I can't believe that four and a half years has passed since that first morning that I dropped Wil off at Neighborhood Academy.  He has learned so much and had so many experiences.  Kindergarten will be here before we know it and I will have a whole new set of worries.  Will he be able to manage the cafeteria on his own?  Will he get lost on his way to the library? There are a lot of unknows but two things I am pretty sure of... On Wilson's first day of Kindergarten, I will sit in the parking lot and cry and he will never miss a beat!

Target (and other dangerous places you should never take your husband)

I've never been what you would call a shopaholic.  I mean, I like to buy a new pair of shoes or an outfit now and then.  I usually buy a new purse at the change of the season and I do enjoy an occasional trip to the mall.  But, I have never been one of those women who spends too much time and too much money buying things that I don't need or won't use.
Having said this, I should confess that I do have a bit of a problem when it comes to shopping for my kids.  I mean have you seen the outfits they have for little girls! It is ridiculous how cute some of the clothes and accessories are for little girls.  And it isn't just girls.  There are some pretty stylish duds out there for the wee men in your life.  One of my favorite places to shop for the kids is Target.  They really do have some cute clothes and you don't have to spend a fortune.
I have to warn my girlfriends though...DO NOT TAKE YOUR HUSBAND WITH YOU TO TARGET.  If you don't heed my warning you will be peppered with comments like this "Yes, that is a cute swimsuit but doesn't Sophi already have six" or "Why would Wilson need another pair of shorts."  Now, are these practical statements? Yes.  Are they factual statements? Yes again.  Are they relevant?  Not so much.  Of course Sophi doesn't NEED six swimsuits but she will look absolutely adorable in all of them and who am I to deny the world that much cuteness. Wilson doesn't HAVE to have a dozen pair of shorts but isn't it better to be safe than sorry.
I have discovered that everyone is happier when I make my Target trips solo.  This eliminates Roger's need to be practical and  my need to explain why a little girl may need sandals in 4 or 5 different colors. 
Now, here is the real beauty in all of this.  Roger recently made a rather large purchase and because of our little arrangement, Roger didn't have to listen to me ask silly questions like  "why do you need an LED as opposed to an LCD TV" or "Isn't 42 inches big enough, do you really need a 50 inch TV".
See, everyone is happy.

Bowser's Castle

Now those of you who grew up in the 80's like I did will have a healthy understanding of this post.  I'm sure you played Nintendo into the wee hours of the morning.  You mastered Duck Hunt, Pitfall and Super Mario Brothers.  Well my 5 year old has reintroduced me to the fun (and additiction) of video games. 
Wilson got a Nintendo DS for Christmas and like every other little boy in the world, we have had to pry it out of his hands when it was time to put it away. It got so bad that I decided to impliment a token system where Wilson could earn a token each day and then exchange it for video game time.  Sounds like a good plan right? Everything was going along just fine until the other day when Wilson said "Mommy can you help me. I'm stuck on this level and I can't get past it."  Now, I'm pretty sure I uttered something like "Sweet Heart, Mommy doesn't know how to play that game".  He insisted, begging "Can't you just try? I have to get past Bowser's castle!".   All of you mommies out there know you can't resist your kids sad little face when they are looking at you with those big eyes asking for help.  I took his DS and sat down on the couch.  Suddenly the familiar music of Mario Brothers is chirping along.  The little mushroom men are bouncing toward you and turtles are fast on your tail. I'm racing along picking up gold coins, breaking bricks, dodging snapping flowers and trying to get safely to the castle.  Wait a minute... I know this game, I'm good at this game.  Wilson looks at me with wide eyes and says "That's what I'm talking about Mommy!"  So here we are today.  Wilson and I play a little Super Mario Bros. every night.  It tends to get a little rowdy.  We occasionally get a "look" from Roger who must be thinking that I have lost my mind.  Last night he actually said and I quote "If you two don't settle down I'm taking that thing away from both of you". Wilson and I giggled and tried to be more quiet but within seconds we had been attacked by a flying turtle who was spitting flames!  We both lost our DS privileges for the rest of the night because we alomost woke up Sophi. 
So here are the lessons I take from this...
1. There does need to be a limit on the amount of time you let your kids play video games.
2. Play with your kids when they ask you to.  They are only little for a little while.
3. Make sure you have fire power when you get to World 2 level eight or the fire spitting turtle will kill you every time !