Saturday Night Sound-off

When I woke up yesterday morning (I don't know if "woke up" is even the appropriate term), I felt like I'd spent the better portion of Thursday night consuming mass quantities of alcohol.  Though I had done nothing of the sort (I actually spent Thursday evening at my district's Teacher of the Year Gala, which is a very dry (alcoholically speaking) event indeed), I found myself stumbling clumsily to the shower out of nothing more than pure lack of sleep.  I haven't slept well for the past couple of weeks, but this week was exceptionally bad.  This morning at book club, one girl made the comment that she doesn't necessarily need more sleep, just quality, uninterrupted sleep.  That's exactly how I feel!  If I could just turn my brain off, fall asleep at a decent hour, and not awake from crazy dreams in the night, all would be well.  However, until life settles down a little, I'm not sure the quality of my sleep is going to improve.  Do you ever find yourself in that "I-need-to-sleep-because-I'm-stressed-but-I-can't-sleep-because-I'm-stressed" catch-22?  U-G-H.  I have good intentions of catching up a little tonight ... we'll see.

Like I said, on Thursday night I was at my district's TOTY Gala.  For the first time, a middle school singing group was asked to perform (usually it's just high school), and the chosen group was from my school.  We have a nine-girl pop group that performed two songs for the 1500+ people in attendance, and they did an outstanding job.  To top off that excitement, my school's Beginning TOTY (each school selects a "beginning" (first year) and "experienced" teacher to represent at the district level competition) won the district title for Beginning TOTY.  He is completely deserving.  I was so proud to be part of my school on Thursday night ... I'm going to miss it.

Last night I had to stay late for the play.  Also excellent.  Another reminder of the talent I apparently lacked during my awkward middle school years.  Anyway, Steve and Sara hung out together.  To entertain himself, Steve had Sara spend the evening wearing a do rag ("hat" is now on her ever-growing list of words), and apparently he taught her to play Aladdin on Sega: yeah, we're old school.  Sometime during their evening together, Steve also showed Sara his picture with Tony Romo and taught her to say Romo, which sounds more like "Momo" when Sara says it.  Anyway, she's developed an infatuation with Romo that rivals the love she had at one time for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the love she currently has for Elmo.  It's very, very serious.

Today we finished a landscaping project that we started last weekend.  Our front yard has been in need of some TLC, which started last Saturday with removing an evergreen tree (one I really did love because it reminded me of home) that had just gotten way too big for it's spot.  Today we replaced the evergreen's empty spot with a crape myrtle, updated/fixed the brick landscape border, and put down new mulch.  I also planted some nice, bright marigolds for the season.  Just a few little touches can make such a big difference. 

Tonight I'm going to start my new book club book.  It was my turn to pick this morning, and I chose a book that my mom recommended.  When she gave it to me, she said that she likes a lot of books, and LOVES just a few ... this was one she LOVED.  We'll be reading The Art of Racing in the Rain.  I can't wait to get started.  I'll let you how it is!  After I announced my pick this morning, Gabi said that she'd heard that this author will be in town speaking sometime in September.  If this book's any good (and I think it will be), maybe we'll all go see him.  The book we finished for today was Middlesex, an Oprah pick from a few years ago.  I really enjoyed it: lots of good history intertwined with a fascinating, sometimes mind-boggling story.  And if you still haven't read these books, it's time.  Get on it!

Just for the record, I have to state that nearly everyone I know is pregnant.  No exaggeration (okay, maybe a little exaggeration: not nearly everyone, but many of my friends have a bun in the oven) ... and the baby announcements just keep coming.  Between September and December, there is going to be a serious baby boom around me.  I am not pregnant.  Don't want to be.  Don't plan to be.  I have the pharmacy receipts to prove it.  Just wanted to put it out there that I currently know A LOT of pregnant people.  Weird.  Congratulations, again, to all of you, by the way.  If this is #1, I can say confidently that life's best blessings are ahead for you.  If this is #2+, you are braver than I.

Hope you are all enjoying a nice weekend.  This time next weekend we'll be in MN for Todd's Retirement Bash.  I simply cannot wait!