a teacher's wish list

so my buddy Alex asked me once to make a "hmm...what do they REALLY want" blog and after today, I think I might have the answer to every teacher's dream gift-

alcohol.

Yup, that's what we really want.
We want to cut loose-get our groove on-let down our hair-party like it's 1999.
If you think we don't, you're wrong.
We do.
Even when we think we don't.
We do.

The perfect gift-a bottle of fabulous wine (yet to be drunk by me)
"Praxis"
Yes.
That is the real label...
PRAXIS!!!

Can you believe it?!!
Neither could I?
But receive it, I did, with a fabulous corker in the shape of a silver bell
(a la The Polar Express)
from a colleague who is helping me find my
CREATIVELY INSUBORDINATE self.

(that's a post for another day!)

We also like the chachkies, like ornaments and whatever we collect (for me, that is wine labels-ask Avery, she started this mess!)

We love personalized things, and coffee mugs (if we don;t drink coffee, a mug will make a great pen holder).

We love chocolate, and baked goodies, and dinners we don't have to cook much less plan!

Most of all, (and most days but not all,) what we love most are your kids.

We don't get paid to do this, we choose to do this.
You share your greatest gifts with us, and trust us to do no harm but instill good-
every day.

Big job.
Whoa big job.

Keep gifts light, happy, full of genuine hugs and love, and if at a total loss-give the booze!
We may not remember what we do as we drink it, but we will ALWAYS remember who the gift giver was!

Always!

one of the hundreds of reasons why I love Rae...

This was the email I got yesterday...don't be surprised if you all get bells from me this year!!
enjoy-
xoxoxo
essie
*********************************************************************************
The Bell

Just up the road from my home is a field with two horses in it.
From a distance, each looks like every other horse.
But if you stop your car or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing.
Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind.
His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing.

If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.
Attached to her halter is a small bell.
It lets her blindfriend know where she is, so he can follow her.
As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray.

When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.
God watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.
Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see.

Good friends are like this.

You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

"Sahwee"

That was Dulce-her most famous one liner, which I must borrow as it seems to fit for this post...

Friday was a REALLY
REALLY
REALLY bad night.
The weekend wasn't so hot either, but Friday, well I think I hit rock bottom.
I told Hannah that talking to people has made me miss them SO much more it actually hurts and Friday night I got to speak to Alex AND Eadie...by the time I got home I was done.

I was done with work (which still really sucks, but I guess, oh well)
I was done with dishes
I was done with laundry
I was so done with our two dogs-
I was done with gift wrap and glitter everywhere
(and you all know how much I love glitter!!)
I was done staring at my living room and feeling like nothing in it was home for me, nothing was real.

What I "got" over the weekend is, living here in NC is real.
For now, I can't change that.

What is also very real, is how much I care for and miss all of you-
so much
so, so much.

Everyday, each of you did something that made my day real (-even if "we were in a fight!")
Everyday I knew you'd pop in or out somehow, maybe a phone call, maybe an email, a funny pair of socks, a song on the radio that my kids shouldn't hear (much less sing), a morning radio show, breakfast a la Safeway, or surprise me with Starbucks, a beautiful child who smiled their daily greeting-or shouted it for that matter...every way you shared your lives with me.
I didn't say it out loud enough, my heart must have taken it all in.
It all mattered.

You were all my clique...and click, we did.
I think my heart broke a little on Friday, and I'm so sorry if I freaked anyone out, but I just couldn't keep it all in and was so sad! Blogger got the best of me, and the end result was my post.

SO, I am taking Avery's advice and not listening to Michael Buble' ANYMORE! Tony has promised to take at least one Friday off a month just for us/our family, and isn't football season over soon?! We'll see more of him then too, I hope!

Rae reaches out through storm clouds for me and Hannah said that I can get to the end of the year; she's right, I can. Alex and Eadie helped me recognize that hard decisions are hard decisions, but always happen for a reason. Rahn knows what to say, even when it makes her feel uncomfortable...Tali, we'll talk soon! I have an "effing" conference to go to, tomorrow, overnight. La reminded me that this IS my season, so the tree goes up this weekend! Gab and e, with what you have been through this year, I have no right to be silly-thank you for you and understanding me.

With all your hugs and love, I'll get back to me. I'm under all these curls-well frizz actually-the winter here is just rain, which really sucks for curly headed people!
thank you guys-I love you all so so much-

essie

now, b/c I am clearly a spazz, I can't get my song to play...it's a good one
"You Get What You Give" by New Radicals and definately worth the listen.
xoxo
e

what to say?

don't quite know.
I am officially miserable here.
I miss my friends and family-well family/friends-whatever, they're all a big blurry group of love anyway-
I miss
I miss
I miss and it makes me very sad.

Has anyone else ever felt this empty after all the boxes are finally put away, and you can't clean your garage even ONE more time? What is WRONG with me???
It certainly can't get any worse, I just keep hearing the Michael Buble' song in my head, and I just don't know what to do.

Breathing again...

Okay.

So I unloaded my UMPH onto cyber space, for which I am hopeful that cyper-karma gods don't zap me with lightning bolts, but will take the punishment if it means I don't have to put up with the CONSTANT stream of unneccessary crap-ola that is daily life in the ridiculous state of mind otherwise known as NORTH CAROLINA!

I got my class Monday afternoon.

See munchkins below.















THEY, are sweet, and I like them VERY much.

WE stay in our room and dance, paint, and sing our way through the school day...and stupid Cumberland County's lame ass curriculum.

THAT makes me happy.

Next week we'll begin my lame ass attempt at dealing with my job description and what it requires of me...even though my newly issued NC license says that I only have a Bachelor's Degree.
Yup.
You read right-apparently I only have a bachelor's degree...I guess the two years I spent busting MY ass immediately after Dollie was born-that was a figment of my imagination.

OMG

I'm officially over it. And I most likely burnedthe last bridge I had remaining, when I called the Licensure Lady I've been forced to deal with since August (remember that call Ave...) and left a message on her machine (in a clipped esther is pissed tone) that said:

"This is unacceptable. After everything I've been through with this county, this must be resolved immediately."

I'm thinking it will be 2007 before that happens.

For now, I'm replaying this song, SO frequently that all 3 Harrison children are over it too...they just don't know the power Eadie, do they?! Quick question, do you think I can get away with playing this song at school...hmmm...bwa ha ha!

FYI, North Carolina isn't an Inclusion State. According to the info I got today, when I asked why a new child with 30 hours didn;t have a PDA...there ARE NO PDA's here...
"[they] just aren't there yet. It's happening now, but it will be a while before those children are in our schools." (Yes, there is a school 30 miles away and another school actually in Fayetteville where all the fantastic kiddos are shipped and housed. FOR REAL)

So next quick question-when Public Law was passed North Carolina wasn't a state yet, RIGHT?!!

Rahn, Eadie, Wahoo, Tie-lee: help. help. help.
It can't just be me, can it?

And before I go- a shout out to my peeps who pulled off the election of the century, and perhaps will put the debacle of No Child Left Behind, BEHIND us!

xoxoxox
essie

bad mood

NC sucks.

Don't EVER move here-no matter how good the song makes it sound.

November

a new month
a new job
a new life-YIKES!

I think it's time for new music

The Wash

a funny little title, I know, but alot of things come and go courtesy of the wash.

For example, socks-what in the WORLD is up with the sock Bermuda Triangle mysteriously hidden inside my washing machine?! And the phrase: "It will all come out in the wash..." certainly didn't apply to the load of laundry I woke up to on Monday morning that had gone through with a blue ink pen!

yup. scratch one entire load of Preston and Team Leader's clothing...it wasn't the best way to begin the week. In fact, it set the tone for my week, which has been VERY messy to say the least!

Before I begin, a disclaimer of sorts, I am very tired. I am missing Virginia. I am aware that one should always be careful of what they wish for-I just wish sometimes that somethings weren't so messy...and that the wash was simply, just the wash.

This week I "hung out" with my new 1st grade team mates. Fun, you would think, cautiously optimistic is more like it. I do have the most teaching experience on the team, but little if any of it, is helping me here. WHAT?! How can that be?! I've been doing this for 15 years-I may not have taught in Connecticut, but shouldn't I know everything by now?!
But you're never too old to stop learning, and,
I've learned this week that North Carolina is CWAZY!!!

After spending 3 days completing the reading assessments of the two 1st year teachers on the team, I did get the downlow from a teammate with 6 years of experience, who goes on Maternity leave in 5 days:
WHOLE GROUP BASAL READING instruction
say it again-
WHOLE GROUP BASAL READING instruction is MANDATORY and I'm not allowed to do author studies.

WHAT-HOLY CRAP-WHAT!!!

It's taken me all week to actually process this.
I actually think I might have made a mess of things by questioning the greater wisdom of Cumberland County when I asked my new boss:

e: "Um, whole group reading instruction...for real?!"
boss: "Yup." (with a bitten lip)
e: "no author studies?!"
boss: "not during literacy block." (with a bitten lip)
e: stupid look is coming across face
boss: "I want you to try this and then we will dialogue."
e: still stupid, and got nothing at this point

HOLY CRAP!

Taking my mind off of everything I am finding impossible to believe has been the amazing story of how Sam Angel came from Korea to Reston. (Kevin, you are a fantastic writer!)

I have cried everyday reading this beautiful story of thanksgiving, and love. I have thanked G-d at least 100 times for his life because I know how much the simple idea of him meant to his parents and now, how much his actual being has already changed them forever.

What a miracle!

I hoped when I called Hannah that she had made it to the airport to welcome him on behalf of K-1 (hee hee) but never expected to hear from her, my Rahnie, and Miz Candy about the heartfelt hugs and love that he received "Team Tang" style! I am SOOO proud of you guys for your Kindergarten crafty-ness!
Yay You!!

What you did was a perfect example of what can go RIGHT in the wash...all those unbelievable tang shirts, my $700 near death experience, neighbors who were stressing over a sea of orange, and breaking Jheri's washing machines when we let the bleach pens get the better of us...good times ladies, good times!
This is what those wonderfully ridiculous shirts now mean:
They mean welcome-
They mean unity-
They mean love-
They mean friendship-
They mean that babies DO come from the airport, and that, means everything!

Yay La! Yay Kevin! Yay, Yay, Yay SAM! G-d bless you three-and Sam, be the best little bumblebee you can be!

In the land of Oz, your dreams can come true

Day One as a WFTP...for those of you just tuning in, that means Working Full Time Princess...
and DRA is a developmental reading assessment-in Virginia...In NC, it just means that you can read.

I got to school with wet hair, and a scrunchy (thank G-d!) wearing my uber cute outfit from my days as a Yankee Candle Hottie-with the crazy shoes which I will never wear for an entire day again!
I also managed to have Ben and Dollie with me-ha
and we three all had lunches.
Nice.
We pulled in as Mrs. Mims pulled in-Ben greeted her with:
"MY MOMMA IS A TEACHER NOW MRS. MIMS!"
Very sweet!
Mrs. Mims took me around and I got to meet a few "need to know" folks.
It was very nice and quite humbling to FINALLY get to Rockfish, and hear how happy folks were that I was joining "The Rock!"
I got to meet the new OT teacher, who laughed when I told her that I thought a good OT teacher was like a personal McGuyver, but then I realized no one could EVER fill the shoes of the original McGuyver...I miss you SOOOO much my psycho sista, aka Yoda...
And Rahn, I think I'm actually going to be YOU at this school...holy moly- now I'm Robin!

After whipping around First Grade, I spent the day with a First Year Teacher, who was having the day from hell:
Crazy behavior problem child left during lunch,
cutie patootie that I had DRA'ed (Louise tell Ann Gray I NEED HER!!!) throws up all over herself and the classroom carpet during Social Studies, newbiw teacher stands there, calls for help as I clean CP up, poor little disaster...
sweet Military Boy who is going to a new school and has to have all his records complete by 1:30 sits down with her to have his NC DRA done, she levels him at a 15 then at 1:15 REALIZES that he ended Kindergarten on a level 32.

Holy C-rap!

Okay, I did try to tell her that I really didn't think the day had been that bad, particularly when she was getting their afternoon folders ready for home and she saw that one of her cherubs had signed his own behavior letter as if he was his mother!
In purple crayon!!!!
That, I told her, was excellent!
I also told her she needed to make a smile file and put that in there.
I also told her to get the heck out of Dodge and GO HOME, before she hated Rockfish (her assistant was nodding her head in agreement, so I felt like it was fairly decent advice.)
So much for being a positive mentor!

In the land of Oz, your dreams can come true...

I wish my friend's husband would find a job here. I dont want her to move to KY...even with the jelly joke.
I wish I had written more letters to my cousin who passed away last summer. Random, I know, but I miss her.
I wish that I can be the person all these new people are expecting me to be. Um, yah, so I'm thinking that I should have taken EVERYTHING from HWES that wasn't bolted down.
I wish Samson would quit dumping his nasty ass bone chew on my lap. Yuck.
I wish I had thought to buy TiVo before today! I LOVE the new show The Nine, but can't stay up to watch.
I wish for my teacher pal and her husband and new son to have the safest, bestest, most fantastic trip back to the states from Korea EVER, and that life is happily ever after for them.
It just should be-they deserve a little slice of happy!
I wish, I wish, I wish...

I wish hugs and love for every single person I know who loves me, because I love them back!
xoxox
essie

'Round the Way girls unite!

Erika- you aren't leaving NC.
Lori "Savage-Buzz" next time the mail is late, you get boxes of candy for not telling!
LC-HAPPY BIRTHDY BUZZ (sorry I'm late!)
Bec-Where is that white fur rug anyway?!
Louise-this was my hip hop in college! hee hee
Rae-can you believe I found this song?!!
Fly Mama Rose-you are 100% around the way!!

There are so many of you; listen to the song and laugh at the hair, and know that I love you all!

xoxox
essie

FINALLY!!

I have a JOB!

No classroom, but a job!
Here's the skinny:
Rockfish is exploding at the seams, so 2 "learning cottages" have been requested.
That means that 2 teachers are moving into them...leaving room for me, and I'm assuming the Art teacher (who up until now, had been "Art on a Cart!")
I start on Thursday-yes folks, that's 2 days away!!

Can I get a "Holy Crap!" from somewhere out in cyber space!
The SAHP (stay at home PRINCESS as I have called myself) is freaking-but feeling very blessed!

For the time being I will act as Instructional Support for the 1st grade team, as I learn the routine at Rockfish and get to know the kids. VERY exciting change for me!

All the SPED experience is already being put to use on paper, as I believe I've got one or two very special friends that I will be working with and who will eventually be part of my classroom-when I get one!

Finally, finally, finally!
Woohoo!
Good things always happen right before the money runs out!
xoxoxo

essie

How do you know who your friends are?

We took Sierra from school and kept her for a wonderful weekend-Cooper arrived late Saturday afternoon for a sleepover with Ben, his "brother from another mother" as Angus was so informed!

The girls were fab-they are just fab-as the pictures will show:

I love these 2 children, and I love my girl
"Tie-Lee!" (Tell your momma that I'm saying it RIGHT, just don't let her know I'm not spelling it right!)

In the car going to dinner, this was the conversation between Ben and Cooper

Ben: Cooper, do you miss me?

Cooper: Oh yes!

Ben: Is 1st grade fun without me?

Cooper: NO. I don't like it without you.

Ben: Why?

Cooper: Because you not being there, makes me Bensick...

Ben: I miss you too...

OMG-OMS-OML-MM (that's "oh my stars", "oh my lands", and "mercy me") did Cooper just say he was BENSICK and am I driving the car CRYING now?!

Why yes.

I am.

The friendship these 2 little munchkins have makes my heart SING and cry because I wish we were closer...

But, we aren't, and my entire point is my kids have friends who have gone from Virginia to North Carolina back to Virginia and that is how they know who their friends are-distance changes nothing! Real friends travel with you-they are in your heart, your head, and shape who you become...HUGS and LOVE to you all! essie

new music-

this was for Ben, who came in while I was blogging, crying his eyes out thanks to his sister and a flair for the dramatic! He wanted Chingy "One Call Away" but the video...um no Mr. Ben, not for you! And for those of you who need an Esther Fun Fact: it is RUDY from the Huxtable Family who plays the "female lead" in Chingy's video...

This music is ALSO for all my Momma Pals, whose children have taken "inappropriate cd's" to preschool for show and share!

xoxox

Today there will be record blog-madness!

Preston had NO CLUE about the surprise pizza dinner and seeing Laura and Kellen, who brought Erica, ex girlfriend of his best friend Luke! It was excellent! I'll let the snaps speak for themselves...

Preston and Laura have known each other since they were 3-it's an awesome friendship, and I'm very appreciative of Laura's mother Catherine who has also supported hours of travel in order for them to see one another!
Kellen came to us through Laura-another cutie patootie, whose mother also gets mad props for allowing a friendship to grow!

("Rock on" is Ben's contribution to Preston taking a photo with 2 girls!)











And, could we love Pres and Luke ANY MORE?!!!
no. nope. no way, no how.

As we left, Pres said to me:
"Mom, that was sneaky and underhanded and I will get you back one day, but it was cool, very , very cool."
And my heart exploded

WOOHOO

I just found out that I passed the PRAXIS test!!
YAY!!!

"Holy Friendship, Batman!!" said Robin

Okay- that was for you Rahn, b/c we didn't get to see each other!

Our "Surprise, you are THIRTEEN" trip to VA was a hands down fantastic success! We arrived late Thursday night, in time to celebrate the cakeness of Preston's bday with Gaia, GrandpaDad, and Dunc. GrandpaDad got the quote for the day: "Didn't we just clean all this up?!" after the kids ransacked their newly put away toys...
Oh so love that snap! So, we had cake, Preston got some new skater clothes and we all fell into bed, very tired Goldberg-Harrisons!

The next day Dollie and I woke up a "o-dark-thirty" and drove into Reston to visit friends-family actually-at HWES. It was tremendous-all the hugs and love-neither of us could have expected that much affection, but we got it and gave some back!

*side bar note: I owe my "fly mama rose" more than love, an apology actually, b/c I didn't get to see HER, which still makes me very sad and I am very sorry! Next time I come to you FIRST!!*

From the office, to Science, to Second Grade: MaryLou Flowers and DULCE, to Music, to the cafeteria, back upstairs to 5th grade and Molly Downs who had NO CLUE we were coming (as my honey Tylea keeps such a good secret and smashing fantastic Sierra who came RUNNING up to her best friend Dollie screaming her head off during a reading test...NICE!), around to GT and MY OLD CLASSROOM-holy smoke JUST doesn't seem to cover it. Tremendous, fabulous, wonderful, precious friendship and LOVE!

Wow.



Icing on the cake was seeing my Louise

- (no comments about the FACE photo-we were happy!)

and watching a certain 4th grade teacher reinact her heart exploding...

Wow.
And that was all before 2pm.

The face of thirteen:

is this boy!

And when I get some time-real momma time-to share all the little minutes of his precious life, I will.

For today, I want to cuddle him like I did, recall our days at Pooh Corner, and simply remember the beautiful Fall day that changed my life forever.

ILY Pres

xoxox

momma

ps-honey, this was our song, and it always makes me cry! Crazy long hair, grumpy "whatever's" smelly socks-you ARE my little boy and I'm always here for you. Always.

Happy Fall Ya'll!

It's Fall...It's Fall...It's Fall-YAY!

Still unemployed, but the VA retirement dollars got here YESTERDAY, so we're good for a few more months. Needless to say, I've started my holiday shopping-just in case! :) I think this might be a problem-a real shopping issue-any thoughts on how to stop the madness out there?
Or should I just accept the fact that perhaps this is a gift...
:)
I'm working that angle!

It's October 1-birthday shout out to my girl Karen who is officially THIRTY EIGHT! Woohoo-welcome to the club!

before I forget-Alex wants a "teachers really want THIS" list**
I'm on it!

How random is this post becoming?! What I intended on doing when I logged on, was honoring the "non pet" that has adopted our family...so what I'll do for now is let you know that it has 4 legs, and is living on my front porch thanks to the efforts of Dollie and Ben. A proper post will follow later!

I realized that after much gush about my pumpkin topiaries, I posted the wreath!
Nice one-
Here is the porch....and I'll get a real snap of the topiaries up because they are the "it" factor if I do say so myself! :) And now blogger is being stinky and it won't let me add new pics!
For now friends, this is it!

hugs and love!

essie

For Hannah :)

Conversation between Momma and Mr. Ben:

Momma: "How was your day at school?"
Mr. Ben: "Great. I have a girlfriend!"
Momma: "You do..."
Mr. Ben: "Yes. It's Tyrrany."

**Um, her name is Tyranny.
For real.
Until Thursday she had been Ben's ARCH nemisis.*

Momma: "Wow. You guys are getting along now."
Mr. Ben: "Yes. She even blew me a kiss across the room today. It hit me so hard I fell out of my seat and Mrs. Carter told me to get up!"

At this point, Momma's got nothing.
OMG this is my life.

What a difference a week makes!

Mom and Dad came for a visit last week.
On my last trip up to VA I started sorting all the things I couldn't fit onto the truck to bring back here. I made a "bring it next time" pile. When my mom opened up her car Thursday night and totally random bits and pieces of my life (including a shoe box of photos from 1982) came spilling into my small house, I kind of figured that she had missed the pile!
"OH! I thought you had a lot of things still in your room Essie."
Yeah Mom, I do.

The randomness, meanwhile, is finding its way into various nooks and crannies of our home. I can't walk in Ben's room, Dollie's room is a free for all, and Preston's room-forget it. Can we please get a bigger house?!!



To take the edge off, we went to a local vineyard for some grape stomping fun-gross but fun! I couldn't talk mom, dad, or Pres into it, but Doll, Ben, and I worked those grapes to nothing but squash!

It was a nice visit, but I can tell that my Mom is sad, which makes me sad. I think we might come up to VA for Pres's 13th birthday to cheer everyone up. Hmm...need to work on that.
It means that I'll end up driving the 3 kids and 2 dogs to VA in my truck...hmm...need to think about that! How does Team Leader ALWAYS miss out on these clearly insanity building moments?! Need to WORK on THAT!!

In an effort to get my mind off my poor mom, I made Team Leader help me make my pumpkin topiaries for the front porch-with the wreath, and our scarecrows, I love my porch so much I could marry it! It makes me happy every time I look outside! This fall decorating explosion took me back to 74 Fairfax Street and all the fun fall decorating I did...Our super-de-super neighborhood with awesome Halloween decorating contests, where everyone "Live[d] Well, Laugh[ed] Often and Love[d] Muck!"

Team Leader turned 41 this week-yay honey! I made an Oreo cake and we went to our yum, yum, yum fav. German restaurant around the corner from the house. We all eat until we are SICK when we go there because we can't help ourselves it's so deelish!

Our Miranda Drive family" helped him celebrate, which was fantastic-and made him feel even more loved So, let's have a little MD hugs and love holla!


Ben learned that QVC sells some "kick ass halloween stuff Momma!"
*That would be a color changing light for your pumpkin: 4 for $21. instead of a traditional candle-like .44 cents.*
Um, hello, did my 6 year old just use "kick ass" in CONTEXT?!!
Should I be shocked or secretly PROUD?!!
Compounding things further, he called QVC and tried to buy a set with HIS dollars...the QVC guy wasn't impressed.
I was.
Go Ben-Ben!


Today I went to a crop for the first time in YEARS, which was amazingly fun and made me think I really might make some friends here that have little to do with Team Leader and everything to do with me...kind of like the New Friend Fairy waved a magic wand just for me.
Nice!
I left there and interviewed for the FTCC Early Childhhod Center job-um, YIKES, major interview. The panel got the real deal from me-meaning either they likey or they don't! I got a whoa headache after, which I translated into "[you] deserve a venti pumpkin spice latte!" so I got one, and now I'm zipping around like a whammo spazz-with an icky headache!

Last week I was calm, and had some $$ in the bank. This week, well I can safely say I'm stressing a bit-what if I don't pass the Praxis, what if Yankee Candle NEVER hires anyone- me specifically, what if my VA retirement doesn't get here in time for me to cover my car note this month? And, I'm officially afraid to check my bank balance.
UGH
My curls are starting to hurt!

Can I go back to the grape stomping...please?

for umerika :)

Here you go!

This is your porch...betcha didn't think you'd EVER have a dog that would sit and STAY did ya?!

I'd like a "holy crap" from the peanut gallery,,wait, I mean the tree house please...and I think I need some kind of spidey sense holla for pulling off the snaps in BROAD DAYLIGHT and not getting apprehended.

(Nice use of superhero slang, I know!)

Tell me you're not speechless!

hugs and love!

OMG

Last night was amazing!!

For Team Leader's 41st birthday I got tickets to see .38 Special and LYNYRD SKYNYRD in concert-

Good call! No, GREAT CALL!

First, I just have to say, that if you didn't graduate from high school during the early '80's, I'm sorry. There has NEVER been a better era for high school music since then (don't get me wrong, everything up to the '80's was indeed solid gold-it's the artists who've been on the scene for 30 minutes DEMANDING that they be in various "LEGENDARY" circles that I'm done with! Earn your place in music history dammit!)

We got to the concert thinking it wouldn't start until 8ish-WRONG! .38 Special was on the floor at 7:30-sang their asses off for a full hour-can we say Rockin' into the Night, What if I'd Been the One...OMG, OMG, OMG! Awesome!


That's them up there...blogger is moving stuff around on me.

They were fantastic and got us REALLY excited for LS...REALLY excited!

The set was changed presto, chango, and the lights dimmed...chandeliers and curtains dropped, the smoke machine started up, back lights illuminated outlines of Southern Rock LEGENDS and the music began.

Team Leader started to scream his head off and this was the 1st shot I got of him:

Nice, I know.

I never claimed to be amazing, just happy for my guy!

The next photo came out like this:

Okay, I'm getting better...maybe...so let's try again:

THERE we go!

Not to be left out, I took one of OUR legendary "us" photos:


So we screamed and danced our asses off for 2 full hours of serious, serious rock and roll.

When Jonny VanZandt asked to crowd if we were "Skynyrd fans"

and the concert roared it's answer back, he kicked his head back and told us to sing it anyway we wanted and the guitars strummed....

bampt bampt dunna
bampt bampt dunna
bampt bampt dunnn
dunna dunna

It was SWEET HOME ALABAMA and I had to call Rae! It didn't matter that it was 10:30 and Steven had to wake up in 5 hours for the nastiest commute known to mankind. It didn't matter that I had NO idea if she would remember that we were at this concert. It didn't matter that she might think we were being killed when she heard me screaming "bloddy murda".

Nope. It didn't matter at all. So I did what any best friend would do. I grabbed Team Leader's phone and dialed!
Yes Rana, that is your phone call! You were at the concert. even if Steven was wishing you were asleep, and Casa Palese's phone was off the hook!

So-all my hugs and love go to Steve Palese, who answered his phone and gave his wife one minute of southern hospitality-essie style!

The show closed and Free Bird was the encore-such an amazing encore that it literally made me cry...it was a a guitar "pick off" that gave me chills and reminded me that somethings never age.

Give me CCR, Little Feet, The Allman Brothers Band, Molly Hatchett, Mothers Finest, Boston, Chicago, Lynyrd Skynyrd, SWAMP ROCK any day of the week, and I'll be happy!

For today my friends, sing your favorite song-I'm humming mine, and, before I go: the biggest thirteen year old hugs to our "Lukie Moe" who we love with all our heart! Happy Birthday Sweetie!!

hugs and love
essie

tagged

umerika tagged me.
she thinks that i have 5 other friends who have blogs...i don't!
i do have friends who i happen to know are READING my blog, so in the fairest sense, i'm electing to tag THEM!

Rae, Lori, Ave, Jen, Eadie,Tali...anyone...

Here you go:

5 things that are weird about me or my pets.
by esther

1. after i wash my hands, i shake them five times into the sink before drying them.

2. i love, love, love food shopping!

3. i have webbed toes, just like my dad, and my grandpa-only the 3 of us...and my mom told me it would make me a faster swimmer when i was a little girl. it didn't.

4. i have never worn a pair of multi-colored toe socks.

5. when i was a much younger person, i wished my name had been "cindy" like cindy brady.

as far as the pets go-heavens-we're weird BECAUSE of them!!!

okay-erika, now that my freak flag is flying strong, i think you owe me a pumpkin spice latte!!

My frogs

Yesterday was really good.
I listened to a voice mail from Rae,
read an email from Lori,
made brownies for my family and gave some to Karen,
and got a late night phone call from Hannah.

Today, I got a phone call from Erika.
Then I got a call from my mom.

All this love-
got me thinking...what is being a friend?

Is it spending every single day, in and out together?
Is it knowing that someone feels comfortable to you-whatever it means?
Is it leaving that comfort zone, even though you know it may be hard?
Is it keeping track of someone through holiday greetings?
Is it knowing when even the best of friends need space?
Or, is it simply being someone that can be all or none of those things for someone else?

I have some people in my life who will always make me happy, no matter what, you just will.
You make me better, and because we can, we share the warts of life together.
Sometimes those warts are really funny, and we crack up every time we reminisce.
Sometimes those warts hurt-they hurt our hearts, they hurt our heads, they hurt our time and we want nothing more than to forget.
Most often those warts are the things we can't wait to tell each other about-even when words aren't easy to come by. But we do-find the words-because we are lucky, and because together, we can! Then all the missing pieces come back together to make things fit again.
That means something.

Warts and all, we cherish each other.
I love that.

xoxoxo
essie

ps-this is for all of you-every single one-the teacher pals who have too many kiddos in their rooms with psycho parents, the mommy pals who do and don't get to see their "babies" every day, the pals who come and go, but always say "hey"- to all of you, have a hugs and love kind of day!

Must see viewing!

The photo I had to add!

Don't you envy the drama I have in my life?!

It was taken after they rode the HurriKane (nice redneck spelling) and we stopped at Tony's bf's bbque stand.

Please note, they weren't sick from Mr. Phil's bbque, just the opposite! We love Phil and plan on giving him this photo framed for the holidays.

His "que" rocks (and ya'll know I don't eat pork!)

Hugs and love!
essie

Team Leader

This is Team Leader.

He is the reason I get these little nuggets of wonderland:

"Momma, is EMS another t.v. station? What is their truck doing here?"

"You know, motorcycles should never be brown."

"I have wanted one my whole life!"
(6 years old mind you, pointing at a pimp necklace in silver of a dollar bill sign that is bigger than his nose. Needless to say, he wore it to school today.)

"Yes, I did do my music report on ACDC, do you have a problem with that? I got an A. What's the big deal?!"


He is also the person who took his family to the county fair yesterday, and spent WAY too much money laughing at the future of the Harrison Family, as they went on every ride they could stomach.

(Nice thumbs up action-this was for Team Leader who totally cracked up as they went by...)

(Preston really was having more fun than this photo suggests...)

He has too many tattoos, even though he promised me once many years ago "[ he'd] never be blue." *notice that the tat's are all in COLOR now!*
He has a firey temper, when it flares.
He can't cook anything that doesn't come microwave ready.
He likes Yankee Candles.
He'll skateboard until he has as many scabs as our son.
He ballroom dances with our daughter.
He'll lay down with our little guy until he falls asleep.
He is the biggest hearted man alive, and he'll give you the shirt off his back.
He's not perfect, even though sometimes, he is right.
He'd do anything for us-anything in the world-and I couldn't love him more.

That's the main reason we moved down here-unconditional love from Team Leader.
We missed it.
We missed him.

Yesterday was amazing.
Teeny, tiny Cumberland County became our new home.

No. We are not keeping the camel.

PRAXIS...schmaxis!

FINALLY. I've taken the 2 tests. Not one, but two. wish I had known that when I registered in August and couldn't go to my hs reunion in Alaska. Now, they are both under my belt and the chips will fall as they may...my chips, however, are rattling around my very tired head!

In an effort to reclaim ME, I've spent the afternoon ignoring my kids (super parenting, I know!) to work on my first tag/chipboard mini album. VERY scary for me-this is new territory-BUT now that I've used the most beautiful paper I've hoarded for 3 years, the creative juices are flowing!

I'm on a roll.
a cinnamon roll.
hee hee!

I need to feed my kiddos something -anything-for their
din-din!Instead, I must post and scrap and add (for your viewing pleasure) the Starving Harrisons, on the first day of school!

(Yay me for figuring out how to add photos to my posts, but boo to the crappy photo that includes my finger!)

hugs and love
essie