Confession

My project for today was to clean off the top of our kitchen cabinets. Here is a "Before" picture:

Now here is an "After" picture:

When Jarrod and I lived in Wake County I used to take classes at a pottery studio called Bisque Art. This was "BK" (Before Kids.) Today I enjoyed taking some of my pieces down, washing them, and displaying them neatly on top of the cabinets. I took pictures and they are obviously not professional quality. :)

Here is the bowl I painted at my first class in 1999:

I painted this Rainbox Trout for Jarrod and it is one of my favorite pieces:

This picture is not very good, but this is also one of my favorite pieces:

These lilies were a lot of fun to paint:

This was the most difficult thing I painted...it was so detailed!! We used really thin tape to make the grid, then we painted over it, and finally peeled the tape off.

Now here is my confession: A long time ago I put some cupcakes on top of the cabinets so the boys wouldn't get into them without permission....and I found them today!!!! I can't believe that I totally forgot about those cupcakes! That is why I desperately need to continue with this challenge!!

My next challenge is to clean out the top shelf of one cabinet.

2012 Declutter Calendar

I've attempted to follow several different organization programs over the years. I use a lot of Flylady's techniques (http://www.flylady.net/) and recently I have found a lot of great ideas on Pinterest. One of the ideas that I "pinned" comes from http://www.mysimplerlife.com/2012.htm This is a calendar that gives you one assignment each day for decluttering. I am trying to complete several of the January projects before going back to work.

One project is to set up a donation station. I have a bench by the door and as I am decluttering I place unwanted items inside a cardboard box. When the box is full, I get it out of the house! I also cleared off 2 shelves on the bookshelf by our front door: one for Eli and one for Joseph. These shelves will be used to place the things they need to take to school or church each day. A lot of time is wasted looking for things every morning...bookbag, show and tell, mat sheet, etc.

The next project I am tackling is a much bigger challenge: declutter the tops of kitchen cabinets and dust. This is the place where I put things that I don't want the boys to find or mess with...there's a lot of stuff up there! It is dirty and dusty...yuck! I will work on this a little at a time. I will start tonight while the boys are sleeping. :)

Looking Forward

As 2011 comes to an end, I find myself dreaming about new possibilities in 2012. One constant area of stress in my life is CLUTTER (I've struggled with this basically my whole life.) As a parent I now see a lot of those same "packrat tendencies" developing in my children, especially Joseph. I desperately need to change my habits, because not only are they negatively impacting my life, but my children don't need to live in a house full of chaos and stress. I've made many excuses over the years, but it is time to make big changes!

This week I started clearing out "stuff" and at first I was doing great...but then I started questioning whether or not I should get rid of things because "someone might be able to use it" or "I should save it for a yard sale." I also have a hard time getting rid of things that certain people gave me. It makes me almost physically sick to consider giving away something a beloved family member gave me...if they MADE it, you can forget about it! It is mine forever....even if I will never wear it or use it.

I've been reading some blogs and websites for motivation and that has helped. Jarrod told me the only thing he wants for his birthday is a decluttered house. His birthday is in March and he said he will help me every weekend that he's home. I want to make our house a place where he can relax on the weekends...instead of feeling constantly stressed out because of the clutter. I was able to spend most of the past 3 days working on the main living areas of our house. Our outside trash can is already full and I have given away lots of free items (books, toys, etc.) My goal isn't for our house to look like it came from the pages of Southern Living. I simply want it to be a place where friends can stop by at any time and I won't go into PANIC mode.

As a joke, my mom gave me a plaque that she bought at a thrift store. It says, "Although my house may be a mess, come in, sit down, converse. It doesn't always look like this, sometimes it's even worse." Even though this was a joke I still take it seriously and want to change the perception that people have about my house....I am ready to make it truly feel like a HOME!

Lessons Learned in 2011

This is our version of an annual family letter. Some of you will be getting it in the mail with the Christmas cards that I still haven't mailed! Hopefully I will mail them before Valentine's Day!
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In January, Joseph turned 6 and we celebrated with a party at the Scrap Exchange. The Scrap Exchange is a nonprofit organization that collects discarded materials from businesses or individuals to be recycled and reused for creative projects. At the birthday party the children were given a goody bag to fill with materials to take home for future projects. I received a call that evening from one of the parents who attended the party. Her child had put some old buttons in his goody bag and one of them had a very vulgar word on it. So, we learned to always check any materials your child brings home from the Scrap Exchange!!

Another exciting thing happened in January....Jarrod got a job after many months of unemployment! The job is in Maryland, so he commutes home almost every weekend. We have learned many things through this transition!  It is tough to be the single parent of 2 curious and creative boys. How do full-time single parents do it all?! Fortunately we have had the support of family and friends to ease some of the burden on Dana during the week.

We spent Easter celebrating with Snoopy at Kings Dominion! We learned that this is a good place to meet so Jarrod doesn't have to drive all the way home every weekend. Joseph is typically a very cautious child when it comes to unknown situations; however, he became very brave and adventurous during this trip to Kings Dominion. He and Jarrod went on everything that he was tall enough to ride! Poor Eli wanted to ride with them, but he was stuck riding the "kiddie rides" with Mommy!

In May we joined a pool and it was one of the best investments for our family. Joseph quickly learned that the water at the end of the slide was over his head, while Eli learned exactly how far he could walk before the water would be over his head. With lessons and lots of practice, Joseph learned to swim underwater a good distance.

In June, our little daredevil Eli broke his arm while sliding/tumbling down an inflatable at Monkey Joe's. He learned that having a cast during the summer is NOT fun...especially when your family just joined a pool!! Our trip to the beach was quite an adventure as well. Dana found a waterproof cast cover and it was worth EVERY penny!! We highly recommend  DryPro cast covers (the company is based in Wilmington, NC so it is nice to support local businesses!)

Unfortunately July brought a time of grief for our family. We learned just how serious allergies to insect stings can be. Dana's father was stung by one wasp and within seconds he was in anaphylactic shock. The doctors were able to keep his heart beating with the use of machines and medicine, but he was not able to recover from the damage to his brain due to a lack of oxygen. Through this time of sadness, we were reminded that we are loved by so many people. Visits, phone calls, emails, meals, flowers, babysitting, etc....we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love shown to our family.

One important lesson that we learned this year is that plans change, and that's ok!! Dana found that she was overwhelmed with teaching, single parenting, hospital visits, etc and she had "too much on her plate." She had to give up her plans to travel to Kenya for a mission trip, as well as mentoring for Team in Training. Even though she was very disappointed, she knew it was the right decision for our family.

Our family has also learned that sometimes God leads us in unexpected directions. We have been members of The Summit Church (formerly Homestead Heights Baptist Church) for many years and have developed strong friendships that will last a lifetime. We have recently felt God leading us to Ridgecrest Baptist Church. The boys have gotten very involved with their Children's Ministry and have made some really good friends. Jarrod and Dana found a great Sunday School Class and look forward to it every week. We are excited to see what God has planned for our family as we become more involved at Ridgecrest!

Surprise!

Earlier in the summer, Joseph wanted to plant some flowers around our mailbox. He picked out a few packs of seeds from the store and being an impatient, impulsive boy he opened all of the seed packs as soon as we got home and mixed them together in a cup. I decided to just sprinkle the seeds all around and we would just be surprised! A lot of the plants that sprouted didn't survive the 100+ degree days that we had over the summer. Apparently one of the packs that Joseph picked out were peppers...and now we have several small peppers growing around our mailbox! :)

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

Actually, I never went anywhere....I've just had a lot going on in my life lately. I will update this blog to explain some of that in the next few weeks. Today I am going to post pictures of my Halloween bargains from last year....the $50 inflatables that I got for $5! :) Joseph enjoyed helping me put these in the yard (he's out of school for his 3 week break) and then he happily posed for the pictures!!

Things Joseph Recently Said...

• My nostril hurts. (Most kids don't say "nostril" do they?)
• Mommy, how did Eli and I get out of your tummy. I know you went to the hospital, but how did we come out? You don't have a slit in your tummy. (I told him we would talk about that later......)
• While trying to explain the difference between boys and girls to Eli, Joseph said: Girls don't have a Pee Pee, they have a China. That's funny, because there's a girl at school from China. (Hmmm...another conversation I wasn't prepared for!)
• I've never seen an arm bend like that! (Joseph said that after he saw his brother break his arm at Monkey Joe's.)
• You're about to flip that thing over! (He was supervising the septic tank worker on his Bobcat. The worker explained that he's been using that machine for longer than Joseph has been alive.)
• Wouldn't it be funny if my name was F#%k? (Yep, he actually used the "F Word!" I told him we do NOT use that word, it is a very bad word. I asked where he heard that word...he told me a friend said it. I asked, "Was it Adam or Brian?" His reply, "No, it was Colleen." *Names were changed to protect Joseph's friends!)

He definitely keeps me entertained! Never a dull moment around my house!

No Regrets

A friend was recently giving me a hard time (you know who you are...) because I don't clean out my email accounts like I should.  Not only do I have clutter at home and work, but I also have "cyber clutter!" I was going through some VERY OLD emails and cleaning out my Hotmail account and came across an email I sent out in 2000. I thought I would post it here....I titled it "No Regrets."

Written September 26, 2000:

You never know what can happen...our lives can totally change in the blink of an eye. Last Thursday, I walked into my school. Another teacher told me that an emergency staff meeting had been called. I assumed it was about the weather (when the threat of severe weather occurs, the administrators like to review emergency procedures.) When I walked into the gym, everyone turned and looked at me. The room was SILENT. The principal started walking towards me and said, "Dana, there was an accident last night and Marie was killed."

I don't remember a whole lot after that. I dropped my bags, the principal grabbed me and took me out of the room. I collapsed in the hallway. Somehow she got me to her office. I remember screaming, "Oh my God! No!" Marie had been my assistant for the past year. We were great friends....she was not just a coworker, she was like family! She was 43 years old and had a 19 year old daughter. Her daughter lived at home with her. Marie owned a hair salon. She worked there every night. While driving home Wednesday night, someone was speeding, ran a stop sign and slammed into her car. She was killed instantly. Many lives were drastically changed in that instant...including mine.

The main purpose of this email is to remind you all that life is precious and unpredictable. My new philosophy is "no regrets!" If something were to happen to Jarrod today, I don't want to live the rest of my life thinking "if only we had taken that trip, if only we had started our family sooner, if only...." I want to make sure my friends and family know how much I love them. I need to stop being afraid to say "I love you." I never told Marie that I loved her...I hope by my actions she knew that. I love all of you....you are my family and friends. Please, don't take anything for granted...live your lives with no regrets. Thank you for letting me share...I will need lots of support and encouragement...I know I can always count on my friends to be there for me.

First Week of Summer Vacation

Teaching in a year-round school means "summer vacation" is really short, so I am trying to get a lot accomplished during my break. So far, this week.....

Monday- Joseph had a dentist appointment for a cleaning. He did a great job! After the appointment we went to the library to check out some books and CDs. I am trying to declutter and save money, so I didn't want to go buy anything. That evening the boys went to Vacation Bible School...ooops....I mean KidsWeek! Next year it will probably be called Junior Jamboree or Sensory Shockwave...we like to frequently rename events at our church, it keeps things interesting! :) I enjoyed my 2 hours of kid-free time by relaxing at Barnes and Noble...I didn't even buy anything!!

Tuesday- I had a meeting at school that lasted longer than I had anticipated. Poor Joseph went with me (with my principal's permission) and he repeatedly came to the door and tried to get my attention. Our assistant principal took pity on him and gave him a popsicle! That kept him quiet for a little while.

Wednesday- Joseph and I went to the pool with my mom. Eli was at preschool and I felt a little guilty about not taking him with us. I know Eli was having fun at school....and the boys would have probably argued the whole time (they have been really mean to each other lately!) Joseph also knows that he shouldn't brag about the things he gets to do when Eli is at school. Joseph will be at arts camp for the next 2 weeks, so this is his only week with mommy all to himself. Later, on the way to KidsWeek, we were rear-ended while sitting at a stoplight by a lady in a Lexus. Her car has a bad scratch/dent by the hitch of our Explorer! The cops arrived quickly and we were only a few minutes late to church.

Thursday- Joseph and I waited for the septic tank company to come out and give an estimate for some work that needs to be done. After they left we went to visit my Dad and then stopped by Bull City Running Company so I could get some new shoes. I had worn holes in my old pair of Brooks and needed a new pair for my half marathon training. We also had to stop by JC Penney because I had a $10 off a $10 purchase coupon! I couldn't pass up free stuff! After finding something to buy for $10 I saw another deal....buy a $25 iTunes gift card for $20. I got that for Jarrod's Father's Day present (if you're reading this, act surprised!) I'm really trying to avoid bringing more clutter into our house....I need to stay away from yard sales or I might fall off the wagon!

It's now 1:22AM on Friday! I am hoping to get more cleaning/decluttering done while waiting for the septic company to finish today. If you've read all this and you're still awake, please accept my apology for boring you....I am sleep deprived and my brain won't shut down!

Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned - #1

And finally, I’ve learned that God’s plans are always better than anything I could ever imagine! I have wanted to go on another trip with my church ever since my trip to South Africa in 2003; however, I couldn’t afford to take time off work and a lot of trips are in the summer when I am in school (I teach at a year-round school.) I had decided that 2011 wouldn’t be a good year for another trip. One morning a few weeks ago I got an email asking if I knew anyone who would be interested in a trip to Kenya to support church planters and work with their children. The dates of the trip are during my fall intersession from school so I wouldn’t have to miss any work! After talking with Jarrod and praying about the trip, I’ve decided to go to Nairobi, Kenya in September! I will need to raise $2850 and ask that you please consider supporting me financially and prayerfully.  Checks can be written to The Summit Church with “Kenya 2011 – Dana Walker” on the memo line. Donations are tax deductible. Please pray for God to use me to bless the families I will be working with in Kenya! Your support is sincerely appreciated!

Checks can be mailed to
The Summit Church
2335-114 Presidential Dr.
Durham, NC 27703
Of course you could also come to one of our services on Saturday or Sunday and drop your donation in the "offering bucket!" Check out http://www.summitrdu.com/ for more information on times and locations! :)

True Confessions

I recently became very upset with someone for always blaming other people for their mistakes...never taking responsibility for their own actions. I try not to blame other people or even my past for the mistakes I make. When things don't go my way, I try not to say, "It's because of my childhood....it's because of this person..." As I was thinking about this, I started thinking about my own faults....I have no one to blame for these things but myself:

First - I have always struggled with jealousy. Even as an adult, I sometimes struggle to be excited for others when good things happen to them. Wow, that was hard to admit, but it is true.

Second - I am a pack-rat. Yep, it's true! I have a hard time throwing things away. Maybe it's because I'm lazy, maybe it's because I have an obsession with finding a good deal, maybe it's because I'm impulsive and buy things I don't really need, maybe it's because I'm unfocused and go from one project to another without ever finishing anything.

Third - I have a really bad temper...really, really bad! For the most part, I can keep it under control at work and around friends. My poor family is usually the target of my temper. In the past I had several episodes of violent outbursts (never with  my kids, I swore they would not experience anything like that!) When Jarrod and I were first married, I would be very destructive just to get a reaction out of him! I couldn't stand it when he would just walk away from an argument! I would throw things, break things...anything to get his attention! One day I might share my "sweet tea" story with you all! I've spent lots of time in prayer and in therapy, and by the Grace of God, Jarrod stuck with me. My anger now usually comes out in the form of yelling and lots of crying. I have to keep reminding myself to turn to God to help me when I feel like I'm losing control. I have to give up control of everything...and give it all to Him!

I think I will stop here for tonight, before I make you all afraid to come around me! :) I thank God for all of my friends and family who have stood by me through the good times and bad!

Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned - #2

I’ve learned that you should not do yard work wearing flip flops! Last September, Jarrod was bit by a venomous snake in our front yard…it was probably a copperhead, but since Jarrod didn’t save it after he killed it the doctors couldn’t be sure. (Didn’t he learn anything from all of those shows on Animal Planet?! You should always save the snake if you can.) Waiting until the next day to go to the doctor probably isn’t the best idea either! You should also make sure you are sitting down when you receive the bill for the anti-venom (I’ll just say that it costs more than some houses!)

Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned - #3

I’ve learned that the Kids EveryWear consignment sale is the best sale in the Triangle area! I’m not just saying that because I’m trying to get you to come buy all of my treasures at the next sale (anyone need a pack-n-play??) The ladies who run this sale are amazing! I’ve worked with them for the past 5 years and I can’t wait until the next sale! Check out their website: www.kidseverywear.com.

Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned - #4

I’ve learned that I may have a *slight* obsession with bargain shopping…maybe…just a little. I know I don’t NEED 20 Halloween yard inflatables, but they were 90% off!! Could I really pass up $50 inflatables for only $5?! I can sell them at a yard sale or consignment sale and make a good profit! I won’t even tell you about the 3 pink pack-n-plays I recently bought…. (No, I’m not pregnant with triplets…so don’t start any rumors please!)

Random things I think about when I can't sleep....

It is 12:37am and I need to go to sleep!! My brain just won't turn off and I keep thinking of very random things...some are things that I need to get done, others are just crazy things that pop into my head. Here are a few examples....

• Earlier tonight I finished addressing 100 envelopes for letters that I am mailing to beg ask for support for 2 big upcoming events....I will write more details about those events later. I couldn't fall asleep because I kept trying to remember where all of my address labels were hidden. I finally got up and found them in a box under my bed.
• While searching for the address labels, I saw a small container in my closet that contains the ashes of my precious dog, Georgie. Now that you are all creeped out, let me explain!! We had Georgie put to sleep when she was 13 years old. We want to scatter her ashes around the field behind our house where she loved to run and play...and swim in the pond! We don't want to do this when the boys are around, so we put the ashes in a safe place and we've been waiting for the right time to do it. It is really sad when you have to put "scatter dog's ashes" on your to-do list!
• As I thought about Georgie, I remembered the time she fell through the ice in the pond behind our house. The other dogs barked like crazy and alerted my father-in-law. He called us and Jarrod ran into the freezing pond to get her out. I covered her with towels and blankets and gently laid on top of her to warm her up. The vet said she was a very lucky dog and she was completely fine after that incident.
• This led me to think about our time in Wilmington when Georgie was just a little puppy. Jarrod and I got married in August of 1994 and we got Georgie in April of 1995 from my best friend, Cheryl. It was always just the 3 of us until we got crazy, hyper Gracie from the animal shelter in 1999. One time when Georgie was about a year old, I was driving down the road and heard this awful scratching noise....Georgie had rolled her head up in the window of the car!! I panicked and almost had a wreck trying to roll down the window! She loved sticking her head out the window while I was driving and had stepped on the button to roll the window up!

So, this is just a small glimpse into the crazy things I think about when I can't sleep! Maybe I can get some sleep now....I have a meeting at 8:00am and I can NOT be late! Who wants to call and make sure I'm awake?! :)

Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned - #5

I’ve learned that Netflix “Watch Instantly” was one of the best things ever invented! My boys can choose what they want to watch from a list that I’ve already set up and they can spend a lot of quality time together zoned out actively engaged in educational programming! (Does that sound convincing??)

Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned - #6

I’ve learned that the weeks before and after Christmas are the busiest weeks of the year at Disney World! If you go with two overly excited little boys and a big boy who doesn’t handle crowds/screaming kids very well, you may consider suing the Disney corporation for false advertising…Happiest Place on Earth?! Yeah, right! We still had fun, especially from 10pm – midnight when most responsible parents take their children home, but we stayed and rode almost all of the rides with no lines!

It could always be worse.....

Sometimes I have "one of those days." You know, the kind of day where almost everything goes a little crazy...but everyone is safe and happy, so I have to think to myself, "It could always be worse!"

I woke up late as usual and got everyone ready to go this morning. I dropped off Eli at preschool, then took Joseph to school for his big field trip to the Durham Bulls stadium! After walking Joseph to his class and waiting for instructions from Mrs. Weber, I got the tickets for the game and headed to my trailer to meet with my substitute. I basically scribbled some plans for her and told her that the day may be a little crazy because we only have 9 days of school left! I then quickly finished some paperwork that was due to the Assistant Principal today (I'm not a procrastinator....really!)

I was finally able to leave school and wanted to stop by Bojangle's for a biscuit and Mt. Dew! The breakfast of champions! :) There was a sign on the drive thru menu that said "Sweet Tea Only" because the soda machine wasn't working. NO!!!!!!!!! I *need* my Mt. Dew. I didn't have time to go anywhere else so I ordered some orange juice. At the window I told the lady that I couldn't believe there was no Mt. Dew....I must have looked pitiful, because she asked if a free Sierra Mist would help. Then she turned around and said the manager just came in with a 2 liter of Mt. Dew and she poured me a BIG free cup full! (I swear I'm not addicted....)

After making it to the Durham Bulls stadium, I found a parking space and started walking to the stadium. I was almost to the gate when I realized the tickets were in the truck....back to the truck I hiked to get the tickets! Once the bus arrived, Joseph and the 2 little girls in my group were so excited! The girls held my hands while my wild child kept running too far ahead. We went down and visited with my friend Jatovi from high school. Then found our seats....the seats were 4, 5, 6, and 9....hmmmm, who is gonna sit alone in seat 9?! Thankfully no one came for seat 7 so we were fine, until.....it started thundering, lightning, and pouring rain! We still had about an hour and a half before the buses returned! The kids were going wild and everyone was crammed in the concourse trying to stay out of the storm. During one of many bathroom trips, one of my girls yells, "Mrs. Walker I need you to come in here."Oh no....I had a quick moment of panic as I imagined many different bathroom emergencies....but all she needed was for me to fix the toilet paper because it was stuck and she couldn't pull any out.

When the buses arrived, I took the girls back to Mrs. Weber, signed out Joseph, and we headed for our truck. Once in the truck, I realized that my cell was missing. I couldn't find it in the stadium and assumed I left it in the truck. I dumped everything out of my purse and searched the camera bag that I took inside the stadium. I finally found it...it had slipped off the middle console and slid under the backseat.

I needed some things at Walmart, so that's where we headed next. At this point it had started pouring again, so Joseph and I ran inside and spent lots of time walking around while waiting for the storm to pass. When our cart full of "treasures" had been scanned, bagged, and put back in the cart, I was ready to pay....."Debit Error - Code 5." Ummmm....what does that mean?! I knew there was money in the bank...at least I knew there was money in the bank last night! I started to panic thinking all kinds of horrible things....after finally reaching someone at my bank's customer service department I was informed that there had been a security breach, my card had been cancelled, and a new one had been mailed. WHAT?!?! Thanks for calling or emailing to let me know! I was on my online banking site last night and there was no notification of this! As much as I wanted to leave my cart and go home, I really needed some of the stuff, so I ran in the rain to my truck to get my checkbook and went back inside to pay for everything.

Joseph and I finally made it home with a little bit of time to relax before picking up Eli from preschool. I knew our 110 pound chocolate lab, Colby, was freaking out because of the storm....as we opened the door I saw our trash torn to little shreds all over the kitchen and living room. While yelling and saying not so nice words, I cleaned up the mess and gave Colby his medicine that helps keep him calm during storms. I should be up from this computer and cleaning the house, but I just needed a break. Oh no....Joseph is calling me....Colby is peeing in the floor! Gotta go...........

Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned - #7

I’ve learned that jobs are hard to come by and when you have one, you should consider yourself blessed! We struggled financially and emotionally during Jarrod’s months of unemployment, but with the support of our family and friends, and by the grace of God, we made it through that ordeal even stronger in our marriage and faith.

Top Ten things I've Recently Learned - #8

I’ve learned that being 3 years old is tough….just ask Eli! He has to wear clothes when he doesn’t want to (which is most of the time,) he has to eat food he doesn’t like, he has to get out of the bathtub after only playing for an hour, he has to go to preschool and play most of the day….it’s just torture, I tell you! If you had to live under those conditions you would have tantrums too!

Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned - #9

I’ve learned that it is possible for 2 complete couch potatoes to complete a half marathon (without being picked up by the bus!) Through the Team in Training program, I raised $3000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and completed my first half marathon in beautiful San Diego! I became overly confident and signed up for another half marathon….this time at Disney World! I forced persuaded Jarrod to participate with me! This time I didn’t train properly, almost didn’t finish, and swore I would NEVER do that again! Yep, you guessed it, I’ve signed up for another race! This time I’m a mentor with Team in Training and I’ll be racing in the City of Oaks half marathon in Raleigh! You can keep up with my progress at http://pages.teamintraining.org/nc/oaks11/dwalkerszb.

Stay tuned for #8....  :)

Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned - #10

I’ve learned that Kindergarten is not the same as it was when I was in school. There’s no nap time, but there is real work…not just coloring, cutting, and pasting. Plus, those glue sticks just don’t taste as good as that thick white paste! J Joseph is loving kindergarten and sometimes gets in trouble for talking (shocking, I know!)

Come back tomorrow for #9!

Who would name their blog "Parentally Impaired??"

I know what you're all probably asking yourselves...what in the world was Dana thinking when she came up with this blog name?? Well, I spent a few weeks trying to come up with a catchy title using "Walker" or rearranging the letters in our name...or something else equally as crazy. I was about to give up and give it a generic name like "The Walker Family Blog." I was thinking about the crazy day I just had with my boys and our fiasco trying to get professional pictures taken. The phrase "parentally impaired" popped in my head! I started using the phrase when a friend and I decided that there should be another category of eligibility for special education services: PI - Parentally Impaired. In many ways we are all "parentally impaired." I know for sure that I am!! Maybe I will share some of my stories on here...and change the names of those involved to protect their identities! This blog won't just be about all the ways parents mess up their kids. I will use it to post random thoughts and ideas...it is all meant to be entertaining. I hope you enjoy it and come back. My first set of posts will be a list of "Top Ten Things I've Recently Learned." Some of you may receive this in the mail....it is my insane version of a Christmas letter that I never got around to sending.