Who I Want To Be – Giveaway

I mentioned in my post Double Standard that I’ve really been making a conscience effort in being who I want to be.  Last Thanksgiving my nephew just filled my heart when he acknowledged traits about me that the rest of the family scoffed over – but he could see past who I was and was embracing who I wanted to be – and y’all, I wish there was a class that could teach us that!  I’ve mentioned it, and so have many of the other bloggers I follow, but so often we bring our own assumptions to the table about the other person that we completely miss out on what is actually happening.  We’ve done it, and we’ve had it done to us.  I had an experience last year of others bringing their assumptions to the table about me and it was really eye opening, it did a lot to show that most peoples reactions are about them, and not you!  It also helped open my eyes, and as part of living in the Now, and being who I want to be, I’ve been working on seeing people as they are now, and not as they were when I met them, or last year, or even last week!

And, as awesome as that journey has been – it’s not why I’m here today!

Part of my “be who I want to be” journey started at the beginning of the year.  I declared I was a bracelet wearing person.  I was the type of person that wore bracelets.  And not dainty little things, no, I’m a bohemian! I want stacked bracelets.  I want color! I want jingles!

Now, disclaimer, I declared this about myself before I got my Jawbone Up.  Which is a bracelet type tracker.  And when making my declaration about being a bracelet person, I really did have a specific look in mind, and for a little bit I got to pull it off; however, as with all things in life, sometimes when you get what you asked for – it’s not at all what you expected – and that is the case here.

The really cool part? I love it! I giggle some mornings when I’m getting ready as I put on all my “bracelets”!

In Aliens, Pudding and Pink Socks I mentioned that my friend Erica and I were supposed to be working, but instead were obsessing over the great items on the Chinese web site – and one of the items I bought was the Harry Potter inspired stacked bracelet set below! It’s my love language right now.  It meets my need to be a bracelet person and it totally makes my fan girl heart beat!  The owl for Hedwig, the Golden Snitch, and then Deathly Hallows… swoon.  I’m wearing that with my Jawbone – and my new Pay It Forward bracelet!

(Okay, quick aside! You know I’m a fan of Random Acts of Kindness and I support the Pay it Forward Foundation – if you haven’t read The Long, Steep Path: Everyday Inspiration from The Author of Pay It Forward, I can’t recommend this book enough!  Also, PIF day is at the end of April!)

Any way, as much as I love my new HP bracelet, it was a different item that I bought that made me state “It’s totally not me, but it’s who I want to be”.  And I was so excited to get this bracelet!  I couldn’t wait to wear it!

Here is what I ordered, an awesome distressed leather wrap bracelet in brown:

Here is what I got, and awesome leather wrap bracelet, in black.  It’s not distressed and it’s not brown, but it’s still very pretty!

 

I was so excited to try it on!

Yeah… it doesn’t fit.

So, my loss is your gain! 

Look at that detail! And it still has the new leather scent!

But, because nothing worth having comes free, you have to work for it!

Go follow me on Pinterest and then report back, either here or on Pinterest that you’ve followed me, and I’ll pull a name from that pool on Friday! If you already follow me, then just remind me below!

I would suggest that you need a wrist smaller than 7″.  The bracelet states it is for up to 7″, but it was snug – so take that into consideration – it would make a great gift, too!

 

Aliens, Pudding and Pink Socks

I’ve so much to share that I don’t know where to start!

I want to blog about a phrase I used in my post about Mr. T’s pedicure: “The person I want to be”.  My friend Erica and I were on the phone and supposed to be working but got side tracked on the internet and a really cool discount shopping site… and as we kept Skyping links to products back and forth to each other, at one point we both said “I know it’s not me, but it’s who I want to be”.  And, you know what? We both bought pieces that represent the transition we want to make as people! I love that I have people in my life that understand me when I say weird things like “it represents who I WANT to be”

I’ll find time to share that once my new piece comes in and you can see what I felt was a physical manifestation of the person I want to be!

Oh my gosh! I swear I saw a UFO the other night!

What do you think? It was really low to the ground and there isn’t an airport anywhere by where I was!  And, there should be red and green lights on it if it’s a plane… and those are clearly not red or green!

Aliens.

Speaking of aliens… Yesterday I was a work “meeting”.  Annual crawfish boil put on by one of the local rep groups.

While I was eating my custom made vegetarian pizza my son was several towns away with the school theatre troupe doing a UIL clinic… and he sent me this picture:

I thought he tucked his pants into his pink socks and was being silly… and so I responded that he had too much time on his hands.

Why are you laughing, I sprained my ankle, it hurts bad

Of course he did! I’m two hours away from where he is.

And it’s in moments like that when I begin to wonder why I don’t have a head full of grey hair.  I mean, seriously, he couldn’t hurt himself when he’s at school and I’m down the street, no, it has to happen when we both happen to be out of town!

No, he didn’t need me to come pick him up.  He happened to have an ankle brace with him (which tells you so much about our lives!), and he used that while the troupe stopped for lunch, then he went and saw the trainer when he got back to school and they confirmed sprain and not a break, and released him with limited restrictions.  He then when to Cheer practice and then onto Work.  I eventually got to see him late that night!

He’ll survive.

Oh! And I have had such issues with pudding lately!! I can’t wait to tell you about the “healthy” cupcakes I made the other day…

Okay, so I needed instant pudding for the icing.  And wouldn’t you know it, I didn’t buy instant!  I made them anyway, and we ate them, but there is a whole story behind it!

And then it gets worse! I bought ingredients to make a special St. Patrick’s Day trifle treat and it involved pudding, too – that I was supposed to dye green! And, after the cup cake “incident”, I was so very careful to find the Instant pudding… and I came home with Instant pudding… but in LEMON flavor!!!

AGH!!!

I can’t win!

We still ate the trifle anyway.  🙂

I hope all is well in you world!  Make it a great day!

PS, tell me I’m not the only one that’s seen a UFO or has issues buying the right pudding!! Please! I’m feeling insecure about my life choices right now!

🙂

Double Standard Anyone?

This weekend my reality was challenged.  It was very hard to let go and NOT have a double standard… In fact, these are the words that came out of my mouth “Well, if you were gay, I’d let you do it – so I don’t really have a reason why you can’t do it since you are straight.”

I didn’t have a valid argument.  This was a situation that in my mind shouldn’t happen because “you are a guy”.

And, it’s true, but not valid!

Here’s a hint:

Now, let’s back up and get the rest of the story!

First, we’ll start with a gratuitous shot of me and Mr. T – He’s in his Easter outfit thanks to Grammy and Papa – and just looking so handsome!

Really, there was no point to the inclusion of that picture!

Now onto the story, a few days ago My Amy texted me and the conversation went something like this:

Winter sucks

Yes, it does!

Haven’t seen you in forever!

I know, but I think the sun is coming out, so I’ll probably be leaving the house soon!

We should get together… want to do something this weekend?

Sounds great!

Want to go across the border?

Cha-ching!  Of course I do… because just across the border is where you’ll find the casino! She had to work that morning, and I was volunteering at the food co-op mid-morning, so we met at my place at noon, went and picked up another friend and took off!

FREEDOM!!!

It was so much fun! We walked the length of the casino and then back again, trying different machines along the way and just catching up with each other!

I would like to say I was strategic and parlayed my small pocket change into a large fund; however, I wasn’t strategic! And, no, the casino didn’t end up giving me a big check; however, I won enough to make me a very happy camper!

I told Mr. T that I’d be paying off our weekend fun, but that we should do something special together with the leftovers!

He picked pedicures.

It was a good idea, there is something about being in those chairs that invites conversation, and really, who doesn’t love a good foot massage! As we were sitting there, he looks at me and goes “Can I get a color?”

No, of course you can’t get a color.  You. Are. A. Boy.

That’s what I said in my head.  Actually, I may have screamed it in my head!

What came out was “If you want.”

I grew up in a culture where boys didn’t wear polish.

But, my parents grew up in a culture where boys didn’t wear earrings and that never phased me. Mr. T got his ears pierced at a young age.  He doesn’t wear them often now; however, that never bothered me.

So, maybe I’m old fashioned.  Maybe I need to be the one to loosen up and let it go.

And, I’m not kidding, I told Mr. T that if he was gay, I’d totally understand him wanting polish – so I didn’t have a reason for saying no just because he was straight.

Then Mr. T goes “Can I get hot pink?”

Go big or go home, I guess.

And that’s how I ended up with a son with hot pink toes sitting next to me at the nail salon.

And that’s how I ended up struggling with the double standard.

It was hard letting him walk out the door this morning.  But really, is there a valid argument?

Because it isn’t societal norm. Because I’m not comfortable with it.  Because it isn’t done.

None of that is valid.

None of those statements represent the person I want to be.

On one hand, it’s outside my comfort zone.  On the other hand, I’m so proud of that kid for being who he wants and not being bound by societal norm.

Yes, it’s a double standard, and yes, sometimes I still struggle with it.

But this morning, I was the person I wanted to be and I watched my son walk out the door with hot pink toe nails being the person he wants to be.

And I smiled, ’cause yeah, that just happened.

How Many Times Can You Hit Refresh?

You know what is my favorite key on the computer?

This guy is amazing.  He is my refresh key.  And as of Friday night, he is my friend!

Let me back up.

Last year, the most awesome kid in the world became the very first Mascot of the new High School.

And, he rocked it!

Not that I’m biased or anything!

Mr. T also ended up joining the competition cheer team – even though he’s never cheered or stunted a day in his life.

He did great! He made major improvements and, he found a passion.

This kid has loved being a cheerleader.

It has been so neat to watch him grow and change along this journey.  To see him realize that seemingly small decisions can have long reaching consequences and making changes in his life so that he can follow his passion has been amazing for me as his mother.

He decided over the summer that he wasn’t going to tryout to be the Mascot for his senior year.

He was going to try out for the Varsity Cheer Squad.

And this kid worked for it.

Friday after school they had tryouts.

Now, the girls all try out, and then the judges review the scores.  The judges leave and after they’ve left the property the girls are then released to go home and the Coach goes to her office to post the results on line.

All of the girls went home and sat by their phone/computer/ipad and they kept hitting refresh.

Except Mr. T.

Mr. T walked across campus because he had a theater UIL performance to give!

Which meant, I was home all alone, not knowing when cheer got out, not knowing when I should start checking for the results… and hitting F5 every 2 minutes!!

I started seeing pictures on Facebook of other cheer moms posting their daughters staring intently at their phones… so I started hitting F5 every 1 minute!

Oh look – there is a new page set up!  Click on that.

F5

F5

F5

Oh, the page now had headers!

F5

F5

F5

And then the moment I had been waiting for, and wearing out the F5 button on my computer for, had finally arrived…

My heart was overflowing with love and pride – and I grabbed my phone and texted Mr. T so he’d see it as soon as he was out of theatre, and then my friends and family that had been waiting – probably not on as many pins and needles as me, but waiting nonetheless!

When he got home that night, he was so pleased and in his own understated way mentioned how happy he was, and how glad he was that his hard work had paid off!  He mentioned that he really felt he worked hard and practiced hard, and it was nice to make the team as a reward for all of that effort.

Me? I was doing my own cartwheels!

In my head at least!

So, yeah, that happened.  I’m still a #CheerMom and will be sharing plenty #CheerIsLife posts during his Senior year! 🙂

Aren’t y’all lucky!

Die Winter Die

This is how I live – if it dips below 60 degrees, I get a chill.

So imagine how wonderful I feel now that we’ve had 5 winter weather events in less than 2 weeks.

That’s pretty much how I feel.  And if you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you are aware that I don’t have enough clothes for this.

Yes we will.  And we will not feel badly about it.  Live through our summer before you judge our cold weather attitudes!

Yesterday we got rain, all day long.  That turned into sleet and froze to our roads.  That turned into up to 7″ snow. I only got 5″ of snow.

Right now, it’s 22 degrees and the sun is shining brightly.