Sabattical is Over!

I don't think I've gone a whole week without posting since I started blogging regularly. I feel so detached from my blog and from everyone else. I hope you all haven't given up on me and taken me off of your favorites! As I mentioned last week, my schedule was really weird last week and I've been away from my computer for 5.5 days now. I haven't been down at my mom's at all either to use hers. I missed you all! Did you miss me?! :-)

Hmmmm....what do I have to tell you since last we spoke? Well, Care Bear had a pretty big weekend. She had her first sleepover at the next door neighbors house on Friday night. I had suggested to her that she have "Blondie 1" over to sleep at our house that night, but apparently Blondie 1 is too scared to stay at any house other than her own, so Blondie 1's mom (Barbie....remember her?) invited Care Bear to stay overnight there. "What?!" I thought to myself. "You are inviting my child to come to your house?!" Well, needless to say, Care Bear was more than thrilled at the prospect. Barbie asked me to give her a little time to take a shower and get something to eat and then she would come over and get Care Bear. About 1/2 hour later, the doorbell rang and when I answered it, there stood Blondie 1 and Blondie 2 in their jammies to pick up Care Bear. I walked her over (and of course Feisty had to come, too) and when I opened the door and let her in there, I asked Blondie 1 to give Barbie our phone number in case she needed to call me. Blondie 1 then informed me very loudly, "My mom is nekkid, but I'll give it to her." ROFL! Care Bear barely even said goodbye to me as she pretty much shut the door on my face asserting her independence. As she shut the door, I heard her announce to Blondie 1, "You don't have to be scared. I'll sleep in your bed with you." I choked back a little sob as I realized how quickly my "baby" is growing up. Feisty was less than thrilled that she had to walk back home with mommy instead of being included in the fun; but mommy knows best, right??? You'd think so. But apparently not. At 12:45, Feisty woke up. At 1:00 a.m., I got a call from Barbie telling me that Care Bear was really upset and wanted to come home. Hubby wasn't in bed, so I went downstairs to see if he was still up so he could go get Care Bear since I was dealing with Feisty. Lo and behold! Hubby was gone. Where? I don't know. But that's beside the point. I had to grab Feisty and haul her next door to get Care Bear, who of course, also wanted to be held. There I am in the middle of the night with two unhappy little girls, carrying half my body weight across the neighborhood to home. And getting my feet soaking wet in the process from wet grass. FUN!! My girls got crappy sleep, I got crappy sleep, and Care Bear woke up in the morning sick. Woo-hoo! In hind-sight, I believe I would not have condoned a sleep over for my 3.5 year old daughter. Sometimes mommy doesn't know best. In my defense, I had no earthly clue that Barbie would allow them to stay up until 1 a.m. without forcing the issue of sleep! What is that?!?! So, the weekend pretty much was a crapper. Total crapper! At least she seems to be feeling better now, and Blondie 1 informed me yesterday that Care Bear wants to have another sleep-over soon. Yeah. Right. That'll happen in this millenium! Not unless Barbie and I have a talk about what is appropriate sleeping time for three girls ages 2-5. I'm not having another weekend like that one.

Yoda (who has requested that I refer to him as Annakin instead of Yoda) was supposed to go to church camp today. He went last year and loved it! He's been looking forward to it for months. Well, Yoda-Annakin caught Care Bear's bug. Annakin is not at camp today. He's bummed. I'm bummed. Good news is, he can catch another session at the end of the month. I hope he'll go for it because that session is in tee-pees instead of in cabins. Annakin is not your rustic kind of kid. Not.at.all. So I'm thinkin' it's gonna be a no go.

I am so thrilled because I finally got grades on most of the assignments I've done and at this point I have a strong, solid "A" in my class. I am seriously considering the option of going back full time next spring so that I can finish quicker and maybe even have a great job doing what I want by the time my kids are all in school. Going back, though, depends on the kind of financial aid package I receive. Hope it's good. I have not yet informed my colleagues that I am considering this. They won't be pleased. It'll be a major life change for me and quite an adjustment. This has been my comfort zone for almost 10 years and going back into the world of academia and leaving my secure job is a little nerve-wracking. But I would really like to finish school before I'm 40. I really would. What do you all think?

I will have another award on Friday. I tried a new recipe last night, so I have one to give!

Still waiting for the female parental unit to download the Ace pictures for me so I can post them and tell you about the night. I don't think she's in a big hurry to do it. It's all good. As long as they don't get deleted!!

Again, I've missed my blogging buddies! I hope you still come check me out and don't give up on me! :-) Have a superb day!!