My 17 inch struggle...

Okay...so we are staying here for another year.  We have a lot of stuff to straighten up/straighten out in the next year.  There are many reasons why we are waiting a year before making any life-changing, across the country, away from my family move.  First and foremost, Michael starts kindergarten in July.  We are working very hard and very closely with a panel of educators for Michael and his best interests.  He has made such great strides in the last two and a half  years...but we have a way to go.  While his speech is getting better, his language is lagging...and his social skills are null.  Of course, this is all so hard for me to swallow...my Little Man is practically perfect in every way.  We had a big pow-wow today with the panel...and I wore my big girl pants to the meeting.  I waited until we were in the car, driving out of the parking lot to break down into tears.  What got me most is that they said that his IQ was below normal.  Now, how can they really test th IQ of a five year old???  I just don't get it...he is SO smart.  He just lacks the social skills.  Mike told me to focus on the positive things that they mentioned...and that they did say that there is some variance on the IQ results.  It is just in my nature to worry.  That being said, I really want to make sure that Little Man gets the best education he can get...and we are working so hard here to make that happen.  I am afraid to pick up and start over in a whole new school district, in a whole other state!!!

The other reason why I want to wait out another year is because I am SO not ready to pack up the contents of this house (and it's basement) to move.  That is a year's job in and of itself.

In deciding that we will not be moving to the Sunshine State for at least another year, I am getting more and more excited about our upcoming trip to The World in September.  We are heading there as a family (and by family...I mean just about EVERYONE from my Grandparents to my Aunts and Uncles to my brand new soon to be born nephew Nolan) for my sister Melissa's wedding.  Yes, she is getting married at Disney.  I am so excited.  We are staying at a Grand Villa at Disney's Old Key West Resort for the better part of the trip.  Mike and I are looking to head down a day or two early, and stay a day or two after.  We have lots of family and friends to see while we are there.  I know we won't be able to cram everythng in that we want to see/do...but we are going to try. 

My dilemma of the day is the flights.  We knew it was going to be spendy to get there, since we really don't have the time to drive.  We were going to fly for the extra time that it will give us.  Well, it has been a few years since I have flown...and my weight has gone up and down in that time.  I am afraid it is on the higher side of up.  Well, Southwest Airlines is the only airline that has nonstop flights from Saint Louis to Orlando...and SWA has a policy for "passengers of size".  Yeah, I don't have the money to by TWO tickets for me.  I am hoping, hoping that me, Mike and Little Man can all sit in one row, and I won't be offending anyone if I "spillith over".  The last time we flew, we flew American Airlines, and there were extra seats on the flight, so I sat with Michael and Mike sat by himself.  The flight attendant was kind enough to give me a seat belt extender without incident.  When I looked at SWA's policies, it stated that their seats are approximately 17 inches wide.  I have not measured my butt, but 17 inches seems awfully narrow, if you ask me!!!

Oh well, I just have to get my butt in gear.  Literally.  I have to get movng in the next few months, and be very dilligent about sticking with Weight Watchers.  I have been slacking on that end.  Michele and I have been back to our 5:30 am workouts...but it is the food that I struggle with.  Bad food is so much easier, and so much tastier!!!

Here is to my quest for a 17 inch ass. 

Love to all.

~ Sunday Stealing ~

Since I am really bad with the blog ideas, I go to http://www.thedailymeme.com/ for inspiration to strike me.  It usually doesn't, but it gives me links to some pretty good Memes that fill in the blog.  Today's comes from http://www.sundaystealing.blogspot.com/ .  Hopefully something exciting or inspirational happens in the next few days to spark the inner blogger inside me!!!

Sunday Stealing: The Meme Time Meme


01. Real First Name: Christine



02. Birthday: 5/17/1973, a bull headed Taurus



03. Where do you live: Saint Peters, MO...a suburb of Saint Louis.  I was born and raised here.  I lived in Florida for several years when I worked for Disney.  That is where I met Mike...and where we want to move back.  This is the source of great stress and strain on us lately.


04: What are you studying/What are you working as: I work as a Mommy and wife, and my paying job is that of a bank teller for a Credit Union.  I am getting really burned out, and had a realization that if I don't do something about my job, then I will never be happy.  My dream is to be an Early Childhood Special Education teacher.  I am enrolling in school to get my two year degree so I can work for the school district...and complete my degree.  I HAVE to do this.  If I don't I will let myself, and my family down.


05. What makes you happy:  Lots of things...my son, my husband, my family, all things Disney, sunshine, shopping, Target, Costco..I am sure more that I have forgotten. 


06. What are you listening to now/have listened to last:  Right now, I am listening to Wow Wow Wubbzy on the TV.  I listen to all sorts of music...all sorts.  You'd be surprised at how diverse my music tastes are. 


07. What is particularly good/bad about your blog:  Good...my blog is honest.  Bad...my blog is BORING!!!  I do this mostly for myself...just to let it all out.


08. An interesting fact about you:  Ummmm...got nothing.  I would say that one of the happiest times in my life was when I was working for Disney.  I really had a lot of fun, met a lot of great people, and made some fantastic friends.  I also met Mike when we were both working for Disney. 


09. Are you in love/have a crush at the moment:  I love my husband and my son more than life itself.


10. Favorite place to be: Home with my family...or at Walt Disney World.


11. Favorite lyric: I am not sure that I have a favorite lyric...but one that comes to mind is "...so live like you mean it, and love 'til you feel it, it's all that we need in our lives. Stand on the edge with me, hold back your fear and see nothing is real 'til it's gone..." ~ John Rzeznik - The Goo Goo Dolls - "Before it's Too Late"


12. Best time of the year:  I really like summer, spring and fall...but DETEST winter.



13. Weirdest food you like:  Bacon and Grape Jelly on toast...weird, but delicious!!!


RECOMMEND



01. A film:   You really would not want my recommendations on films...as I do not get to the movies very often...and my attention span is so short, that I don't really watch them on TV or DVD.  The movies that I have watched lately are Up and Toy Story 2...thanks to Michael.

02. A book:  I like to read anything by Jen Lancaster and Jennifer Wiener...both have new books coming out this May.  I am SO excited.  I like girly, chick lit type books...but books about real life situations...if that makes any sense.  Books that remind me of me. 


03. A song:  I like anything by the Goo Goo Dolls or Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty.  I also listen to a lot of old Journey.  They are great when I am feeling down!!!


04: A band:  See above!!!



PLUS



01. One thing you like about a blogger that you have not met:  I would love to meet Aurora from http://www.talesofafrumpymochaprincess.blogspot.com/ .  She has become a great inline friend...and I really look forward to meeting her...hopefully in September when I am in Florida for my sister's wedding!!!  I would also like to meet Suzannah from http://www.zannaland.com/, Amanda from http://www.disneyeveryday.com/, JL from http://www.thedisneydrivenlife.com/ and Lou from http://www.wdwradio.com/ .  All of these people are like Disney rock stars to me!!!



02. Two things you like about yourself:  I like that I am pretty honest about the craziness that is my life.  I am upfront about what is going on, and what I struggle with and what I celebrate.  I like that I know that I have faults and am working on them. 


03. Name three things that you need in a lover:   I stopped looking a long time ago...when I met Mike!!!


Love to All.

My Samantha Stevens Syndrome

Growing up, I always got lost in the wonderful world of reruns.  The Brady Bunch, The Munsters, The Flinstones, even Gilligans Island.  One program that I was particularly fond of was Bewitched.  Yes, the story of the beautiful witch, Samantha Stevens...her beligured husband, Darrin and their adorable daughter Tabitha.

There is a Bewitched marathon today on TV Land.  It is like the programming gods knew that today was going to be a blah day.  The weather outside is gloomy, so we can't go out and play...or even do yardwork.  The house is in decent shape.  Of course, it could be better...but I just don't feel like it.  Mike is working overtime today and tomorrow...so I don't have anyone around to light a fire under my butt to get moving.  Yep, today is a great day to snuggle in bed and watch eight hours of Bewitched. 

One thing that I noticed when I was watching the show is just how perfect everything was.  How I thought that this was going to be my life when I became a grown up.  In many ways, I am still waiting to grow up.  I thought that I would have the perfect life, the perfect house, the perfect family.  I thought that women were supposed to be perfectly made up, wearing the cute little dresses, keeping the house immaculate and get dinner on the table.  Yeah.  Life isn't quite that way for me. 

I am okay with being perfectly imperfect.  My floor needs to be vaccummed, my dishes were washed...no thanks to the broken dishwasher sitting in the kitchen, the beds are unmade and I am not sure what we are having for dinner in a few hours.  Yep, lots of stuff needs to be done, but I am content in knowng that I am making memories for my Little Man...playing campout in the family room, playing SpongeBob Sorry and Toy Story Memory.  Watching Yo Gabba Gabba, Olivia and Wow Wow Wubbzy back to back to back and having a picnic in our family room campout.  Sure, my house could look like Samantha Stevens'...but I am okay with it not.  I am okay with being just the way I am.

Love to All.

...been away from blogging...

It has been a few weeks since I sat down and typed.  I have been keeping busy, and keeping myself away from the computer.  I am back, but don't have much to blog about!!!  I am okay with that.  I am okay that things are pretty uneventful.

I am still looking to leave my job.  I have talked to someone about doing online classes to get my degree in ECSE.  Huge step for me.  Quit my job, take care of kids and take online classes toward my degree.  All is right with that picture.

Of course, all of this and I am (as we speak) on the phone with Mike.

He wants to move back to Florida.

Seriously.