Technical Difficulties

My most awesome of Spring Break trips was filled with "technical difficulties." Let me walk you through... Picture this: 3:30am Monday morning - I'm halfway asleep in the front seat of a Chartered bus cruising down GA's I-75. The bus driver, awesome guy named Ty, mentions that we need to "gas up"...we cruise down the exit ramp, stop at the stop sign. Ty says, "Oh No!" as we feel the bus lurch. The trasmission on the bus went out. We were stuck on the side of the exit ramp for 3.5 hours waiting for our replacement bus to get there. The other bus load of students with the other band director went on to Disney without us. (Quite a sad sight.) Well, at about 4:30am, I needed Tylenol and Tim and I both wanted to stretch our legs a little. I spotted a Citgo station across the street. Tim saw a guy bathing himself in the bathroom sink there and I got winked at by a guy with WAY to many scary lookin' tatoos. At about 7am, we switched buses and continued on our journey. Things were going pretty well. Until EVERY FREAKIN' RIDE at Disney experienced "technical difficulties" while Tim and I were in line. "Small World" froze up, we got stuck on "Haunted Mansion", "Tower of Tower" was having issues... HUMUNGO wait times... Then, as the band was on the way to our workshop in the Disney recording studios our bus was in an accident. We were sitting at a red light, waiting to turn right, when a Disney tram bus rammed into the side of us. (Don't ask how it happended, 'cause who knows...) It ripped our bumper off, broke off the mirror, and shattered a window or two. Crazy times! I'm amazed that I made it home alive. But - tons of memories made, and I had a fantastic time! Glad to be home.

Nail Polish, the Easter Bunny and Mickey Mouse

I just got done painting my nails. I don't know that I've done that since high school. My toe nails are always painted, but never my finger nails. Anyway... Happy Easter tomorrow, everyone! I'm leaving for Disney World tomorrow at midnight. I'm so excited!! :o) yay! I'll tell Mickey that you said hello!

Idea Stolen from Meghan McG.

10 REALLY RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME

10. I'm afraid to drive beside 18 wheelers.
9. My favorite color changes daily.
8. I love Cape Cod Kettle cooked potato chips.
7. I have the big dipper on my arm. (Really! I can show you!)
6. I'm addicted to letter writing. (Long live snail mail!)
5. Old Blues Musicians make me smile.
4. "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" might be my all-time favorite book.
3. The smell of boiled peanuts or cabbage make me want to hurl.
2. I think daisies are the world's lovliest flowers.
1. I can't stand to not have my toe-nails painted.

9 WAYS TO WIN MY HEART

9. Cook for me.
8. Sing for me. (Even if it's bad.)
7. Dance with me in a parking lot at midnight under the stars while you sing in my
ear.
6. Watch a chick flick with me and not complain.
5. Know when I've had a bad day and need to be alone....
4. Know when I've had a bad day and need to be hugged...
3. Play an instrument for me.
2. Leave me little notes for me to find after you're gone.
1. Be Tim. :o)

8 THINGS I CARRY/WEAR EVERY DAY

8. Lip gloss
7. Valve Oil (hey - music people are strange!)
6. cell phone
5. keys
4. checkbook
3. wallet (money/ID)
2. ink pen
1. watch (I have to ALWAYS know what time it is!)

7 THINGS THAT ANNOY ME

7. People who change lanes without using a blinker
6. People who interrupt you while you are talking
5. People who are rude to service workers (waitresses, etc...)
4. "blue screen of death" computer crashes while you're in the middle of working
on something
3. the way that you can never close a loaf of bread and it be as pretty as before
you opened it
2. when your favorite pen runs out of ink
1. 7th graders in general

6 PLACES I'VE VISITED

6. Prague, Czech Republic
5. Poland
4. Phoenix, AZ
3. Las Vegas
2. Savannah, GA (LOVE it!)
1. All over Florida

5 THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE

5. Learn to play guitar
4. Learn the recipies for Mom's cornbread and Nana's biscuits
3. Visit Carnegie Hall
2. Pay off my car loan... FINALLY
1. Get married/Have a family

4 THINGS I'M AFRAID OF

4. Ending up alone
3. cockroaches
2. not being a good wife/mother
1. that I'm not doing what I'm "Supposed to" with my life

3 THINGS I DO EVERYDAY

3. Brush my teeth (almost obsessively sometimes)
2. check my e-mail/blog
1. Feed my fish

2 THINGS I'M TRYING NOT TO DO RIGHT NOW

2. eat the chocolate candy that Tim gave me for Easter
1. get a Coke from the fridge (MUST drink H2O instead!!)

1 PERSON I WANT TO SEE RIGHT NOW

1. Timothy Mark Pietrofere :o)

SPRING BREAK!

Hallelujah! As of 3:50pm this afternoon, I am now officially on SPRING BREAK! Tonight I'm just going to chill and watch a few movies. Tomorrow, I'm cleaning and doing laundry. Sunday, I'm playing at the Methodist Church for Easter, packing and then leaving for DISNEY WORLD! I'm soooooo excited! I need a trip. I need to be silly and have my photo taken with walking cartoon characters. Let's Go!

heavenly hands

Today was the 8th grade career fair. (In 8th grade I couldn't decide what clothes to wear the next day, never the less what career to choose...anyway...) I was walking around, monitoring students and one of my band kids walked over and told me that his mom wanted to talk to me. I glanced around the room at the military booths, the architect, the vet, the computer technician.... finally my eyes rested on the pretty lady with the massage chair. That was her. I swear, I could hear angels! We talked for a few minutes about how great her son has been, then she invited me into the chair. (YAY!!!) Ah- heavenly hands worked all the tension from my shoulders. I haven't felt this "light" in ages! Yay for her!!!! (If I was a "bribe-takin' teacher", her son would have an A+! Well... he already does, but that's beside the point.) Now, if I can just survive the 7th graders... they come in a half-hour. (1 more day 'till spring break!) Holla!

pits

I have a really strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. I hate this feeling. It's like something is REALLY wrong, but I don't know what and there's nothing I can do about it. It makes me nervous and jumpy, and I want this feeling to go away! Uck!

An eerie silence

After my rant from yesterday, I came home to a strange silence today. My neighbors are nowhere to be found. The cars are here, but there's no cackling. There's no grilling. Hmm... strange - very strange. I don't want to jinx it, though. At school, to raise money for a new trophy case, the student council is sponsoring a "Penny for Your Thoughts" contest. Students come in and put pennies in the jars of teachers that they like. The teacher that gets the most points by Friday wins a prize. Well, I went by today to check it out, expecting to see dust collecting in the bottom of my jar. I had 100 pennies! Sure, I'm still about $3 behind the leader, but I had votes! That put a little pep in my step for the rest of the day. :o) Three days 'till SPRING BREAK!

So Loud!

Why? Why must my neighbors be so unbelieveably noisy?!? They stand on the balcony right outside my door and cackle all night long. I don't mean that they laugh really loudly - I mean they freakin' CACKLE for hours! They're out there when I'm getting ready for work in the mornings - they're out there when I get home - they're out there now and they'll be there when I go to bed. EVERY day. Yelling, cackling and grilling god knows what. I'm glad they're having fun, and they're nice people - but take a break already! Anyway - I'm SO ready for Spring Break. 4 days 'till I get a week off from my hoodlums. I never realized that my teachers were as excited as I was about holidays! I'm chaperoning a trip to Disney over Spring Break, so that'll be fun. And - Tim's a chaperone too! (Free Disney trip with my honey - does it get better?) Load the bus! I'm ready to go!

Good Morning Sunshine!

I am making a valiant effort to become a morning person. Usually, I am terribly grumpy and not much fun. However, yesterday, I was up and out by 6am. I went into town and bought chic-fil-a breakfast for my family and we were eating by 7. I wasn't grumpy - in fact - I was having fun! (Then Mom and I went to the Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival and shopping - good times!) This morning, I got up an hour early for church and went in the kitchen and made muffins for everyone. Hmmm.... Maybe I can be a morning person.

Kiss Me! I'll be Irish on Thursday!

I love St. Patty's Day... I've got all my green clothes ready to go. :o) Can't wait 'till Thursday.

My new kitty!

A photographic mini-journey

I spent a lot of time this evening looking through all of my photo albums. I love taking pictures. I'm REALLY not very good at it, but I love it just the same. I picked out a few of my favorite memories to share with you.

Lil' Bro, Britt and his girl, Shaner

Tim and Me... he always makes me smile.

Myself, Lisa and Gincy as we prepared to "Senior Farewell" from Sigma Alpha Iota.

Myself, Natalie, Sarah, James and Corey on a mountain top in the Czech Republic

Myself and Karen with the "NASA Bra." (Trust me... you REALLY don't want to know! *hehe*)

When my great grandmother passed away, her house was torn down. Very soon afterward, petunias bloomed (in her favorite color) over the entire property. Quite a heartwarming family miracle!

Nannie and Papa (with lil' me!)

Mom and Pops circa 1978. (Whoa there with the hair, Pops!)

Zen of the Playground

Big Kid: If that b**** didn't tell on me I wouldn't have gotten in trouble.

Little Kid: If you would have stayed out of trouble in the first place you wouldn't have gotten in trouble.
(from http://www.overheardinnewyork.com)

Doesn't that just sum it up? First of all - I wouldn't be surprised at all to hear cussing on a play ground now. Kids are freakin' crazy these days! Anyway - seventh graders are wearing my patience thin.

Anyone know anything about interpreting dreams? I've had some strange ones lately. Last night I dreamed that I went to work, but I'd forgotten to brush my teeth. I had to spend the whole day shielding my mouth from people while I talked. How strange...

*hmph*

Joy Brewer is fantastic!!!! I sure do miss ya girlie! Hmm - nostalgic quote for you - "I would have eaten my arm first!" Who said it?!?

Mail-In Rebate

Are there many things better than getting money in the mail? I never really understood the purpose of a mail-in rebate (couldn't they just deduct that from the original price?) but that doesn't make getting the check any less cool! I just got back from Savannah - accompanying one of my clarinet students to all-state band. She's the first chair player - which means that she's ranked as the top middle school clarinet player in the state. She's such an awesome girl - more self discipline than I have ever seen in a student. However, trips like that stink when you have to travel by yourself. Tim was supposed to go with me, but couldn't at the last minute. I called Britt... he's never free on weekends, and couldn't go. So - I traveled bumpy I-16 alone. I did a lot of goofy singing on the radio. Kelli, Johnathan, David and Meghan - I thought about you all and smiled when I drove through Effingham. Well - I'm home now - debating how long I'm going to procrastinate laundry. Ahh- I had a terrible dream last night! I dreamed that I got fired - and no one would tell me why they'd let me go. It was NOT cool - woke up all teary eyed. Hmmm.... *crossing my fingers that I don't have the powers of dream premonition*