Seven Quick Takes

1.  I have an unexpected extra 45 minutes or so on a Monday night and that makes me happy.  Joe has soccer on Monday nights at 7 and I usually tutor from 4:30 to 5:30 and then make dinner and then go pick up the kids from theatre, drop the girls off at home and barely make it to soccer in time.  But tonight only the girls had theatre and they are both doing something with friends after theatre so it's just me and Joe here and I don't have to make the threatre run before soccer.  I also didn't have to tutor because my student was sick so Joe and I worked on his school that he didn't finish earlier.  This included reading a few chapters of our new book, Peter and the Starcatchers by Ridley Pearson.  We have been reading through the Sunshine State books for the middle school level and doing a book club with a friend but we finished that book last week and haven't started the new one so we're reading this one in between.  The book we finished last week was called, Doll Bones and it was weird!  Good, but weird and a little creepy.  It was all about these three kids who were sort of being haunted by the spirit of this doll...anyway it's a long story and I don't explain it well.  Feel free to do the google if you're curious.  :0)

2.  Hannah had an exciting day today....she started a new job!  Her first job!  About a month and a half ago she walked around downtown asking in all of the shops about working and most of them said she was too young.  One didn't seem to mind her age and had her fill out an application.  They had just hired someone but said they'd keep her application on file.  Well, they called on Wednesday to ask her to come in for an interview on Thursday.  The man and his wife that interviewed her really liked her and asked her to come in on Monday to meet the store owner and interview with him.  In the meantime, I had talked to my friend who owns the bookstore downtown and she told me she'd call and put in a good word for Hannah.  Well, an hour or so later, Kevin (the guy who interviewed her) called and offered her a job!  My friend at the bookstore said that she had called and was told that they were so impressed with her that they had decided to hire her the minute she left the store.  I guess the owner watched the interview through a live cam or something and thought she was great.  So, she had her first day today!  She loved it and is so happy to be working at such a unique store in our little downtown.  She'll be working about 20 hours a week or so which will be a lot to juggle along with school and theatre but she is up to the task.  I am so proud of her and excited for her.

3.  In other exciting news around here--Hannah and Grace both got the parts they wanted in the next show, Once on this Island.  For Hannah that is the part of Erzulie, goddess of love and for Grace it is her first lead!  She will be Ti Moune, it is a big role with tons of singing, big belting singing and she is thrilled.  They are both in voice lessons at the theatre and they have improved so much, I love to hear them.  Joe is also in the show but specifically asked to not have a big part in this show, he was feeling the need for a break.  He is part of a trio that are the gossipers and will have quite a few short solo singing lines.  He is very happy for a show without the pressure of a big role.

4.  I hardly cook much for my family anymore.  I never understood when moms said that they didn't cook much...I always thought--what does your family eat??  Well, we've been finding out.  We've been subsisting on super simple meals like black beans and rice, pinto beans and chips and toppings, the occasional casserole, and frozen meals--whatever is on sale at Publix.  I miss cooking but am gone most days in the afternoon/evening and it makes it very hard to put a decent meal on the table.  We had a day at home yesterday and I finally got to make a meal for my family that was good and healthy and they were so happy.  I made cauliflower chowder (huge hit even with Joe who thinks he hates cauliflower) and mushroom provolone paninis.  Yum!  Feeding my family is definitely my love language.  I also prepped dinner for tonight while I was in the kitchen yesterday and with just 15 min. of time this morning got a vegetable beef soup going in the crockpot and fed them something good again tonight!  Tomorrow is Tuesday and Ollie's night to cook.  Wednesday afternoons are busy so who knows what dinner will look like...I miss the days when I planned ahead....

5.  The girls and I went to the Florida Theatre Conference this past weekend with their theatre group and it was so fun.  We had a great group of kids and almost no drama aside from the drama that happened on stage.  I had four girls (none of them my own) in my car and we totally bonded and I learned all about the boys in their lives, had a chance to give them some advice, sang soooo many show tunes together (they were thrilled with my cd collection of every single past show we have ever done) and we had some good laughs too.  They even got to witness me ALMOST pee my pants in the parking lot when Ms. Amanda attacked me with a plastic bag and I laughed so hard I had to stand with my legs crossed to keep from wetting myself.  My car was nicknamed the swaggin' wagon and we all had nicknames.  We took a swag picture with hoodies and everything that I'll post once I get the pictures on the computer.  I also had fun with the other moms and Ms. Amanda.  We especially enjoyed renting these giant stuffed animals that you could ride through the mall.  If you follow me on FB you might have seen the video already.  :0)  It was $6 for 10 min. and well worth it.

6.  Hannah got her nose pierced weekend before last.  Craziness I know but she wanted it and I didn't think it would be a big deal in the grand scheme of things teens like to do.  It actually looks really good.

7.  Time to head out to soccer so I'll have to wrap this up...I read a good book recently that I highly recommend---The All Girls Filling Station Reunion by Fannie Flagg.

Peace out peeps!