Ch-ch-changes--Thanksgiving, Hope, Life

Over the years I've spent Thanksgiving in a lot of different places with a lot of different people. 

There were the Thanksgivings as a kid where I would excitedly watch the clock and wait for my grandparents to arrive from Alabama. We would eat and eat and watch football and play and talk. I remember falling asleep in sleeping bags on the floor with my sister and brother and cousins listening to the grown ups talk. There were a few Thanksgivings after my parents' divorce spent meeting and eating with new people that would be my step-relatives, and then eventually my ex-step-relatives. Thanksgivings spent in O'Hare Airport Gate B 22 with my brother and sister missing our connecting flight  going home to Michigan from my dad's house in Nebraska. There was that one Thanksgiving when I was 20 I spent in Amsterdam with friends, that was a good one. I also spent several Thanksgivings serving turkey at soup kitchens in Pittsburgh. A couple Thanksgivings I spent with friends who had no place to go like me. Years later my first child was born a few weeks before Thanksgiving and I remember being overwhelmed with joy and hormones and swollen breasts at my in-laws for turkey dinner with my newborn in my arms. There was the Thanksgiving night I spent with my sister in the ER waiting room after my mom broke her neck falling down the stairs. There was the Thanksgiving we forgot to defrost the Turkey like characters on a predictable sitcom. 

Thanksgiving 1980-something. 

Me with new friends and wearing a beret in Amsterdam.

My picture of Amsterdam that looks 150 years old. Ha!

Two weeks as a mom not having a clue what I was doing. 

What a turkey. Oh my god, what a cute little turkey JT was.

One constant has been change. I haven't always gone to the same place with the same people and had the same meal or the same happy or sad experience. I should be better at change than I am.

The world feels crazier than normal right now and changing so fast. I've never really been someone who has been that affected by, or to be really honest that compassionate about, those "trigger alerts." But Jesus, I get it so much more now. I feel like the entire year has been a trigger. This administration. Social media. Things I thought I believed but now question and vice-versa. My kids growing up. Losing control. Setting boundaries. Being firm. Being understanding. Balancing compassion and fear and strength and vulnerability. Getting enough sleep. Wishing I could do more. Wishing I didn't feel so much. Wishing everything didn't feel like it was constantly changing all the time so fast. But also grateful for some of the changes. Holy shit. Ahhhhh.

I wish I had someplace to go that I 've always gone this Thanksgiving. I want a constant that feels comforting and safe.  

As usual in times of turmoil I turn to my beloved pop culture. I watch movies like Planes, Trains & Automobiles. I love that movie. I watch Young & the Restless and General Hospital. I delight in the fact that Victor and Nicki are still fighting and loving and trying to get the family together on Y & R.  And that the Quartermaines are still trying to figure out what the hell is going on with Jason on GH. The same things I was watching in 1987!  My comfort zone.

But as I look back on the years and think about this year and Thanksgiving, I am reminded of other constants. There was always laughter. Even in the emergency room that crazy Thanksgiving my mom broke her neck, my sister and I found things to laugh about. Like how the first person my mother asked for when she woke up in the hospital was Justin Timberlake. 

Another constant...there has always been somebody. Whether it was friends or family, my babies or strangers in the airport, there have been people to connect with and talk to and be with. For that I am grateful.

Every Thanksgiving I can remember has been filled with some kind of hope. Hope that the turkey will defrost. Hope that everyone comes to visit. Hope that everyone will get along. Hope that everyone recovers. The thing about getting older is that you've been through enough to know there's another side to things. Even though the world is making me uncomfortable and tense and confused, as I look back I see that we've been here before historically and it's led to great change. I feel hopeful that we can figure this shit out--our government, our communities, our families, parenting teenagers, disagreeing with love, respecting each other, finances, my grandma's dressing recipe, global warming and all the rest of it.

I'm grateful for laughter and hope and perspective. And that there are soap operas that are still on TV. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

Middle Of Starting Over Again and Again and What I Know For Sure

Last night, Lucy did something that I have never done and always wished I had--she got on stage and sang. 

Sure I've been on stages and I do my thing (dance, talk, tell stories, try to crack jokes) but I've never really sung, not well anyway.  

A couple weeks ago, Lucy told me she wanted to try out for her fifth grade talent show. I thought maybe she'd play the piano because she takes lessons and plays beautifully. I thought maybe she'd want to do a dance routine with her friends. But I was wrong.  

"I'm going to sing," she informed me. "By myself, without my friends," she informed me and then exhaled loudly like she'd been holding it in and afraid to say it.

For some reason, it was important for her to do this whole singing on stage thing by herself. I offered to help pick the song or practice with her or even choreograph a few moves, but she declined.  This was her thing. It wasn't about her friends and it wasn't about her mom, this was about her being brave and finding her voice and doing it on her own.

The only thing she asked for was if she could get a new dress for the show. And of course, she picked the dress.

I was so curious yesterday, the day of the show, because I had no real idea of what to expect from her singing. Lucy didn't seem that nervous, which made me even more nervous.

But I shouldn't have been. I should have trusted Lucy and her choice of song and style and her quiet confidence and determination.  Because once she was on stage, she sang beautifully.  

"As hard as it seems, I hold my breath and just believe." That's my girl being brave and sweet and truly finding her voice on stage tonight. #astarisborn #proudmom #ilovemykids

A video posted by Angela Youngblood (@jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed) on Jun 4, 2015 at 10:06pm PDT

She sang a song with lyrics like "As hard as it seems, I hold my breath and just believe."  She sang a song called "The Middle of Starting Over."  (Click here to watch her performance.)

The song she sang seems like the perfect song for us right now, and maybe forever. We are going through all sorts of milestones and transitions as a family--no more preschool for Wade (or anyone here which is kind of crazy because we've had almost eight years of consecutive preschool around this house); Lucy is heading to middle school and a more intense Tween Land; Peyton is getting taller and more man-like every day; and I'm thinking about new jobs/career ideas and new identities. I'm learning to let go a little and encourage them and love them the same but differently. 

Things are different. I'm paying more attention to friends that have kids graduating from high school because we are only a few years away from Peyton graduating. In some ways I feel like we were just having conversations about getting him adjusted to daycare or me adjusted to leaving my job to be a stay-at-home mom.  But that was 12 years ago.  

So yeah, that song is sort of our forever anthem because we are all always in the middle of starting over in some ways...finding new rhythms and routines and roles.  And like Lucy sang so beautifully last night all we can do is get started and hold our breath and "just believe."

Lucy, or Super Lucy as we used to call her (after she asked us to), showed us last night that we can all exhale a little and be brave and find our voice and create new beginnings and keep starting over and do things our own way and keep believing. And THAT is pretty damn cool, I know that for sure this week.


Here's what else I know for sure this week:

• This song and the video are the bomb. I loooooooove this so much--the lyrics, the dancing, the way she just goes for it, the strutting, the jumpsuits, the sisterhood, the curves, the RV.

(click here to watch the video)

• Mecury is in retrograde again. Booo.

• This Harry Potter video will make you cry (click here to watch). We just watched one of the movies again this past weekend and realized the little kids in our family haven't experienced the magic of the Harry Potter books or movies yet. It's kind of crazy to think that the Harry Potter phenomenon started sort of right before Tim and I became parents. Tim was one of those weird adults that was reading the books and would go stand in line at the book store waiting for it to turn midnight and the new Harry Potter book to be released. He started reading them because my little brother, who was 8 at the time, loved them.  And then Tim loved them and then Peyton.  Now my little brother is in his mid 20s and Peyton is getting all teenager-y and Tim is old.  Time! Ahhhhhh!  I kind of love how the magic of these stories has been a part of Tim as a father and our journey as parents.  Click here to watch the video-https://www.facebook.com/656567384402155/videos/824953997563492/

• Dogs bring out the little kid in even the coolest teenager.

• It's cool to be a "featured member" somewhere.  I'm especially excited to be a featured member at One2One Network because I love working with them and love doing product and music reviews for them. They asked me a few questions for this feature, questions like "what's your secret ambition?"  Check out my answers and my not so secret (anymore) ambition.

http://one2onenetwork.com/featured-o2o-member-angela-youngblood/#


What do YOU know for sure this week, right now?  Tell me here or over on my Facebook page.

And come play with me on Instagram- @JumpingWithMyFingersCrossed

Creating More Spaces

What the hell world?

I pulled up to my gym and the whole front row of parking spots had been repainted with diamonds.  There were signs that said the spots were now for Diamond Members only. 

"Look at all the open spots right in front," Wade said from the backseat excitedly.  "It's our lucky day."

"No, we can't park there, that's only for people with diamonds," I told him all of a sudden feeling like a Sneetch without a star on my belly from the Dr. Seuss book.

Here's the what, I am not complaining about not being able to park in the front of the building.  I am complaining about a gym, a society, that rewards money and privilege.  I would have respected the gym so much more if they would have blocked off the spaces and converted them to all handicapped (instead of having just the legal amount of handicapped spaces they need).  OR if they blocked off the spaces for senior citizens or expectant mothers.  In fact, I would have scraped my money together to pay extra for that. Because I want a gym, a society, that rewards kindness and community and helpfulness.

Everyday I feel more and more like I live in a Dr. Seuss book.  From the diamonds to everyone biggering and biggering (their homes, their strip malls, their cars, their egos). I feel like the annoying little Lorax screaming and no one listening.

Last night, I was having dinner with my children on my front porch.  We live in a pretty junky rental on a street full of pretty nice homes. While the house isn't something that would be featured on a "you would love to live here" web site from a design standpoint, I'm proud of the chaotic, messy, beautiful love-filled home we've made here. And I love our front porch. As we sat and ate dinner on the abnormally warm-ish evening, we heard a man yelling. He was yelling "bullshit," "swipe the screen and get rid of the icon," "fucking do it."  This man was walking his dog while yelling at some employee or family member on the other end of his Blue Tooth. He was angry and didn't care that there were kids everywhere.

What the hell world?

Here's the what, I am not complaining about people swearing and getting angry. I get it, I've done it. I'm complaining about this man not waiting until he got home. (I mean seriously, pick it up to a jog and get home THEN yell if you need to do that.)  I am complaining about a man that didn't care about the kids around him, his community, enough to have a little respect.  His problem, his ego, his world was more important. He must be a diamond member.

I don't have all the answers. But I have trouble. I have trouble reconciling people's hypocrisy and denial, and that we live in a society that strives for the diamond spots. I have trouble that sometimes people with a little money and privilege don't seem interested in looking out for others and truly being part of a community.  

People on Facebook like to post articles about entitlement and how people need to get real. I wish they'd post articles about being the change and having character and encouraging kindness, and THEN go do it and be it.

I want the world to be more about creating parking spaces for people who need help; a world full of more people who look around and see who is listening and who is watching, people (and companies) who want to be role models of character and kindness. A world where people create spaces to raise awareness to encourage compassion rather than simply to raise prices to encourage privilege and status. 

Happy One Month Closer To Summer

Spring has sprung, sort of.  Last Friday, the sun was shining but it was only around 45 degrees.  But so what, we live in Michigan, I put on my winter coat and got my bike out.

It was so great to get old Tallulah out again.

I love spring because it leads to the season I love the most, summer.  But change is hard, even good change.  I struggle with change because I want control.  I'm really struggling right now because I have no control over anything!!!!!  Kids, bills, body fat, hormones, stress, dogs, money, wrinkles, jobs, no jobs, time, weather, ahhhhh.  

But there's no time to overanalyze because our weekends are insanely busy.  

Here's a video recap of our weekend in one minute and 30 seconds.

One Weekend from Jumping With My Fingers Crossed on Vimeo.

Our whole life feels insanely busy. Practices and homework and work and meetings and lessons and bedtimes and routines.  If I did take a minute to analyze it just a little bit, I would say one of the reasons that I love summer (besides the warm weather and swimming and sunshine and no coats, hats or gloves)is because there is no homework, fewer early mornings and I get to sort of control more of our lives.  

So, happy spring to all of us.  Or should I say, happy one month closer to summer.

Be For Something

It seems like there are a lot of people that are against things.  So many of these people are angry and loud. I know it's good and necessary to stand up and be loud sometimes and be against things.  I mean sometimes that's the only way real change happens. And I am not someone who remains silent. I will be loud, I will fight when it is necessary. But lately, it seems like so many people are loud and angry and against everything.  The voices against everything sound attacking and reactive and quick-tempered everywhere--from television talk shows to Twitter.

Instead of being against everything, I want to be for things.  I am for equal rights. I am for compassion and understanding and empathy.  I am for more listening, less yelling.  I am for knowing more about each other and the world.  

That is one of the reasons I am so excited to be joining a movement to share the stories about women's rights and issues concerning health, education, wealth, economic development and combating climate change.  It is the  Across Women's Lives (#womenslives) initiative, a media partnership between Public Radio International (PRI) and SheKnows Media.  

I am definitely for sharing more stories about women and women's issues around the world.  Did you know that currently only about 24 percent of all news subjects talk about women in any way, and only six percent of news stories highlight general in/equality?

PRI creates and produces public radio programs like The World, The Takeaway and many other programs, as well as special reports.  Together PRI, SheKnows Media and bloggers and writers will be sharing stories and starting conversations about the Across Women's Lives series using the #womenslives hashtag. 

Stories with information like this:

"When girls receive more education, their children are healthier. When women have more ownership of property, domestic violence often drops. When more women work outside the home, a country’s economic output rises. And when women hold elective office, government corruption is lower.

Yet in spite of the social benefits, gender inequity remains common throughout the world — including in developed countries like the US. It takes focused effort, creativity and persistence to shift the gender balance closer to equality. It means changing culture, changing tradition and changing attitudes."

I'm for knowing more about women's lives around the world and creating change. I'm for sharing stories that educate, enlighten and inspire all of us to be and do better.

Throughout the rest of 2015, I will be sharing stories, and writing some, about #womenslives.  I hope that you will read and follow the #womenslives hashtag to see all the stories.  

This post is in connection to my participation in the #WomensLives social journalism initiative co-sponsored by BlogHer, SheKnows Media, and Public Radio International. Across Women’s Lives seeks to change the conversation in news media, because women’s lives are newsworthy.

Not Cool Mother Nature

Wade trying to save our Frosty the Snowman in the backyard Friday night. Spoiler alert: It didn't end well.

This past weekend was weird.  After a couple weeks of fun playing in the snow, we had a warm up.  Like a global warming warm up, a record heat, bye-bye snow hello roller blades and shorts warm up.  And all I have to say is "Not cool Mother Nature, not cool."

Wade had just gotten into the idea of snow and the wonder of winterland and then, just like that, it's gone.  And people, he is not happy about it.  Don't worry, I was there with my camera to capture it.  Here's how it went down this weekend:

Before and After Mr. Frosty the Snowman

Before and After Lucy Up a Tree

Hello Goodbye

I spent a while in the car ride home from our post-Christmas Christmas in Pittsburgh writing a badass blog post.

Okay, yeah I was on Twitter and Facebook a lot too.

A post about resolving to be the best wife, daughter, friend, mother person EVAH.  But then in a moment reminiscent of a really bad day in college or one of my first few days when I wrote for a newspaper...I didn't hit save and all was lost.  All of my really badass blogging was gone, lost in cyberspace.

After arriving back home in Michigan and getting the kids to bed, I sat down to hit the publish key to share all my prolific new year's thoughts and realized my mistake.  And I cried.  And told my husband I hated him.  "I hate you too, " my husband said without missing a beat.  Then he gave me a kiss and said "just write something else honey, no worries."  And then I cried again and started writing, again.  Here it is, attempt at a badass blog post round two.

New Years Eve and Day is such a strange time.  It's celebration and reflection.  It's past and future.  It's sad and happy.  It's an end and a beginning.  It's hello and goodbye.

It marks the end of an extremely f#&*ing long holiday season.  And the beginning of a new year ripe with possibility.  It's full of promise and possibility--a new outlook, a new waistline, a new life, a new you.  It's all shoot for the stars, go for the gold.  At least until mid-January, when people realize many of the resolutions aren't going to happen.  Womp. Womp.

But it's not mid-January yet.  I'm all like "hey you, new year, hello, can't wait to see what happens and how great we're going to get along."  I'm in the Hello Phase.

This year I'm going to carve out more alone time, be more social, eat healthier, be a more patient parent, run longer and farther, stretch more, read more books and less entertainment web sites, eat more vegetables, learn to speak french, travel, get more sleep, write more, relax more, learn to sew, paint a canvass, learn the piano, be a more patient wife, care less about what people think, clean my house more often, respond to emails in a more timely fashion, remember to RSVP to parties, organize my closet, organize my drawers, organize my house, organize my life, play more, laugh more, love more and chill the fuck out more.

Since New Year's Eve and Day is so strange, not only am I looking ahead, but I'm looking back too.  As I reflect on 2012, the fact that the years are going by faster becomes even more real.  Thinking back to all the bedtime stories and ticklebacks or the middle of the night "it will be okays," the baseball games, the make believe magic, the backyard field of dreams, the hugs, the tears, the long talks, the family movie nights and road trips---it's bittersweet. 

I'm excited to see who my children are becoming, but knowing these sweet moments will never come again the same sweet way makes my heart ache.

There are a million little things that I will miss from 2012 and there are quite a few that I won't miss.  I won't miss the incredibly loooooong recovery process from Tim's shoulder surgery.  Yes, my husband is still sore from the surgery he had a million years ago in October.  I won't miss packing up a household and moving.  I won't miss changing diapers since baby Wade has been potty trained.

As I think back, I'm all like "hey, wait last year, I'm going to miss you, you taught me so much, I don't want you to leave yet." I'm in the Goodbye Phase.

Usually you can't be in two phases at one time.  It's a rule, right?  There has to be a rule about that.

Or maybe I'm just overcomplicating things.  Maybe it's really amazing.  To be in a moment where I feel a million emotions.  To be in a moment full of gratitude.  To be in a moment full of anticipation.  Maybe it's really simple.

"The answer to everything is simple," Paul McCartney said in an 1967 interview with Disc.  Explaining his song Hello Goodbye he said, "It's a song about everything and nothing.  If you have black, you have to have white.  That's the amazing thing about life."

The song that inspired it all:

Sure, I'm all Hello Goodbye, and it's pretty sweet.  Happy New Year. And Happy Last Year too.

Just One of Them Days

Yesterday was a bad day.  Nothing bad happened.  Well, except my hormone levels and my attitude and my ADD brain and...  I was all over the place, but not any place good.

It wasn't anything major or life altering, like the 90s pop diva Monica said, it was just one of them days.  

To quote her brilliant song exactly:

Just one of them days a girl goes through.
When I'm angry inside and I don't want to take it out on you.
Don't take it personal.
I just want to be all alone.



October is my January.  Many of you experience the blues in January.  January is dark for all of you Christmas is the best time of year people.  I'm not those people.  The best time of the year in my book is summer.  And I am sad to see it end. September is full of a back-to-school madness and enough warm days to make it okay. But by the time October comes around, I go dark.

Actually all change makes me go dark for a day or two.  I have nothing against Autumn.  It's beautiful. The colors make me stop and fill me with some "holy shit that's a beautiful tree" awe-filled wonder.

But change is change.  And I'm a girl that needs to be in control so change, adjusting, accepting, moving on...all that takes a day or two or three.

Before I was married and had children, those days would be filled with solitude, sad music and lots of books and food. Now I really don't even remember what solitude feels like.  And when you're married, even your most personal dark day isn't so personal.  

That said, my family is amazing.
Like current pop star Kelly Clarkson says in her song Dark Side, they "remind me who I really am."  She goes onto sing "Everybody's got a dark side...Nobody's picture perfect, but we're worth it." Sing it Kelly.


Now my dark days are filled with me being a little snappier than usual, then feeling guilty about snapping and being grumpy and then crying before bedtime. There is still some sad music and pop music and of course lots of food.

Change is change.  Good stuff comes with bad.  To see the light, there has to be some dark.  I get it.  It's all good.  

Love this. "Even if it's only the lyrics to a stupid pop hit." Yes, I'm quoting the quote in a quote caption.
It's that good. 

Fall/Autumn/Change

Change is in the air.

Maybe you call it Fall. Or maybe you are more of an "I call it Autumn" person.  No matter what you call it, it's happening people.

Wade doesn't look so sure...he's like "um, JT this is fun right? All those bumpy gords next to me are gross, but mom is taking a picture, so this is fun, right?

It's all leaves falling, pumpkin displaying and red and orange.  So, go with it.  Throw those leaves up in the air like you just don't care.

Speaking of change, I changed my ABOUT page.  Check it out.  You think you know, but you may not know. Click here to read about why I started this blog.

Bleh--But I'm Over It

This past weekend was beautiful.  Cooler than expected.  Sunnier than expected.  And I was grumpier than expected.

Look at this sky! It was a beautiful weekend indeed.

Maybe my immature teenager self once again reared it's ugly self.  You know, because the world and the weather was telling me everything was perfect and life was good...I didn't like it.  Nobody tells me what to do, not even Mother f&#*ing Nature.

I went to the University of Nebraska for a semester a million years ago.  When I was there, everyone went to the football games. Everyone.  Everyone wore red.  Everyone.  It kind of felt like Everyone was telling me to go to the football games and wear red.  So guess who didn't do that?  Immature 18-year-old me.

But you know what?  I wish I would've gone to a game.  I mean who goes to the University of Nebraska and doesn't go to a Cornhusker football game? Especially a football fan?  Ugh.

So yeah, I'm way too old for teenager behaviour.  But I couldn't help it.  Last week kicked my ass.
Friday night I fell asleep on the couch watching a DVR'd episode of Major Crimes. Saturday I woke up all bitter about kids' fall sports activities and really everything.  I was grumpy, sad, down and out.  Just overall Bleh---a bummed out mash up of meh and blah.

What do I have to feel bleh about? Nothing.  Which makes feeling that way even worse. Vicious cycle.  So, I cried a little, snapped at a very understanding husband a little and just got over it. Realizing the bleh-ness was really all about change.  

Lucy and Wade staying very busy on a Sunday morning. So sweet.

All that good-bye to summer hello to fall change.  Nothing bad, just different.  Missing my kids, yes I said it, I do miss my wild and crazy kids now that they're at school.  Back to the hectic schedules, back to the rushing around, splitting up, scheduling that comes with fall.

But I'm over it.  Because after the bleh-ness, comes the oh yeah, this is great-ness.  

Here's what I'm looking forward to:

• New shows!  Yeah, I'm counting down until "The Good Wife" premieres on Sunday, September 30. 

• Leaf piles (odd factoid: I love raking leaves, it's good cardio and a great sense of accomplishment, until the wind blows).

• Jumping in leaf piles.

• Pumpkins and pumpkin patches.

• Pumpkin Spice lattes at Starbucks.

• Bonfires. (We never have them, but I do like the smell of other people having them in the area.)

• Did I mention shows?  So psyched about new TV.  How many talk shows are starting tomorrow?  Which ones should I watch?  Ricki? Katie? The guy from Survivor?

• New music. I am obsessed with this singer, ZZ Ward. Check her out.

• All those kid activities and games (while hard and hectic to manage, they are fun to watch).

So many things to look forward to, I know.  What are you looking forward to this fall?  What shows will you be watching?

Back To School Resolutions

We attempted to do some back to school workbooks and it didn't go too well.

After a loooooong couple days with all of my lovely children, I will tell you....I am very ready for school to start.

Yesterday morning we headed up to the elementary school to meet the kids' teachers for the new school year.  The new school year that doesn't start for six days, nine hours and five minutes.  Roughly.

Last year, I went to the meet the teacher event, called "World of Welcome," full of excitement and hope. My children proceeded to turn into mini devils.  The morning ended with JT biting Lucy.  Yup, we left quite an impression.

So really, unless JT bit the new teacher, this year had to be better right?  And it was.  All three kids seem, dare I say, excited about school starting.  And nobody bit anybody.  

I'm not only ready, but I'm excited too.  I'm excited for a lot of different reasons--the kids soaking up some knowledge, hanging with their friends, getting away from me and coming home happy (okay, that last part is wishful thinking I know).

The last couple weeks of summer are always a little rough.  We've had our fun.  We're ready to move forward, but not ready to let go.  We are all a little nervous about all the unknown that a new school year can bring, for all of us.  We have butterflies.  

But mostly, we get so sick of each other these last couple weeks that we can't wait for the first day of school.  A change.  A fresh start. 

Last year, in the vein of newness and fresh started-ness, I came up with a list of resolutions.

My 2011/2012 Back To School Resolutions with Updates:

• Finding the perfect morning routine that gets the children to school loaded up with a healthy brain-food breakfast and no anxiety. 
• Actually spending time with the baby, Wade, while the others are at school and finally reading him a book. 
• Learning to love little league/pee-wee football.  If your kid is in it you understand, you have no choice in it taking over your life.  So you better learn to love it.
• Not getting mad at my husband and playing the who works harder and is more tired game every night.  
• Drinking less wine.  I must admit I was going to name this post "How blogging made me an alcoholic" because I am enjoying a glass or two or three with each post.
• Tweeting more.  Yup, that's right I really want to get skilled in...Twitter.  

Click here to read more about last year's resolutions and my back to school revolution.

The only thing I followed through with is tweeting more. Whomp. Whomp.  So, just like my New Year's resolutions, where I've resolved to learn a new language and lose 10 pounds every January for the last 15 years, there are things that will stay on my list.  I will still be searching for that perfect morning routine, still trying not to get mad at my husband while playing the who is more tired game.  And don't even get me started on the drinking thing.  Just don't.

A couple new items on the Back To School Resolutions for 2012/2013:

• Volunteer in my kids' classes more.  I told JT's new teacher she would see me more than when she was Lucy's teacher, which was never. Mwha-ha-ha. More than never, those are good odds.

• Get more creative with my kids' school lunches.  Even at home, I lack creativity.  After this summer, my kids will never want another hot dog again for as long as they live.

• Say "hi" more and judge less.  The end.

• Get more sleep. And kick the baby out of the bed, for good.

• Drink less.  Analyze less.  Lose my temper less. Laugh more.  Run more. Relax more.

We will enjoy the next 6 days, nine hours and five minutes.  And yeah, we may bug the hell out of each other, but that's part of the process of school prep right?  

I will be making this hooray, I'm happy face again on the first day of school. Believe it.

Get in on the Back To School Giveaway

The chance to win not one, but two cute bags from Thirty-one is still on for two more days. (The winner will be announced on Friday.) 

Read the details below:

Thirty-one products are pretty and pretty cool.  You can't go to your kids' baseball game or the pool these days without seeing at least a handful of moms with a thirty-one bag. You know why?  Because they are practical and fashionable. 
And it happens to be my first giveaway.


You could win not just one gift from Thirty One, but two.  I am giving away a thermal tote and a cinch sac in the adorable Flutter pattern.

All you have to do is, leave a comment here, like the Facebook page, or leave a comment on the Facebook page and you will be entered to win.  This is the perfect back to school prize.  And if you are interested in hosting a party (so you can get more free items, discounted items and hang with your friends)click here. 
 (Click here for more information on Thirty-One.)