August 20, 2014

Retreating A Bit And School Update

 Since Briana started back to school (after her birthday festivities), I have retreated into my shell big time. I feel like a bit of a hermit. I haven't really wanted to go out or do much of anything. When I get overstimulated, I need some time to decompress. Summer's activities really overstimulated me this year. I haven't made plans with anyone lately, and I have just been hanging out with Doug and Bri.

I did get out of the house with my two peeps Saturday evening. We had a nice dinner and then we stopped at the local party store. I needed to return a few items that I ended up not using for Briana's birthday party. 

The party store is already starting to get into the swing of things for Halloween. Doug and Bri had a blast trying on all sorts of costume accessories. Bri could have stayed there for hours...


I helped Bri work on a couple of book reports Sunday afternoon. Doug headed to his very first coaches meeting for soccer. Other than that, the weekend was really uneventful.

Bri was back to school on Monday. So far, the week has been quiet.  I did a have a nice lunch date with a friend yesterday. It got me out of my shell a bit. I didn't realize how much I needed some girl time.

Bri wore her balloon skirt to school on Tuesday. I tried to pull off the exact same look in 9th grade. Didn't work at all. A boy that had a crush on told me he hated balloon skirts - crushed my spirit a little. It was character building I suppose. ;)

Bri, on the other hand, totally adorbs...

And Venture class is starting back up for Bri on Thursday. Briana is so nervous about it. She will have a new Venture teacher this year, so that isn't helping. Venture can be hard sometimes - and Briana really doesn't like hard.

She has to present her pizza box project tomorrow - this is the poem we came up with...


 In other news, my kid just turned in an application to join the running club at school. She starts next week - two afternoons a week. And soccer practice starts next week too. I'm a little worried she is taking on too much. But she really, really, really wanted to join running club, so I am letting her at least try it...

Briana is so different than I was at elementary school age. I was fairly outgoing and Bri is a bit more shy. I was eager to please - I wanted to do my school work well to impress the teachers. And while Bri is very bright, she prefers to drag her feet when she has to do school/homework. Sometimes she has a "let's get this over with" kind of attitude. If there is some sort of artistic quality to it, then she is all over it. But if not, she isn't thrilled.

She's very athletic and I was so not that at all in school. If any sort of running was required when I was a kid, I walked (did not run - heh) the other way. Except for dancing. I loved to dance - that was my "thing." I took several years of dance classes. Briana could care less about taking a dance class. She did like her Chinese dance class, but a lot of culture was infused into that and that made it more likable for her.

 I was a sweet, happy, friendly and (probably overly) emotional kid in elementary school - and I do see a lot of that in Bri. I hope her sensitivity and shyness don't get her chewed up and spit out by the other kids though. I did (and still do) have a quick temper (surprised?). I was bullied a couple times as a kid. I would try to suck it up as best as I could and then I would eventually come out swinging. If I was really pushed too far, I did finally stick up for myself (I've had to do that in my adult years too). I'm not sure if Bri is capable of sticking up for herself yet. If push comes to shove, I hope she can figure it out.

Speaking of emotional, Daddy did a little traveling this week and Bri always misses him so much when he's gone. Here she is talking to him Tuesday evening...

Doug got home around lunchtime today (Wednesday) and he just headed out to pick B up from school. He's going to surprise her. She is going to be soooo happy.

Things will pick up now (starting this weekend) when it comes to extracurricular activities and weekend activities as well, so we'll see just how busy life gets. I have really enjoyed the calm before the storm (so to speak).

 I don't know why I am feeling this way. Underwhelmed. Just feeling a lack of enthusiasm to do much of anything. And whenever I start feeling this way (because it has happened before), I start feeling guilty about it. I am the queen of never giving myself a break.

I need to get my groove back soon. I better start looking for it.

August 15, 2014

A Low Key Week (And That's A Good Thing!)

It really has been a quiet week. Bri went off to school each day and then I went to pick her up. We worked on homework, I made dinner, we'd hang out and talk and watch TV. Then it was time for bed. Routine - it can be a nice thing. :)

Monday and Tuesday, Bri was wearing her wavy hair to school from the wet braids I put in over the weekend. She looked so cute. On Tuesday, B was wearing the new bow that Ms. Kathy made for her birthday. 

Who doesn't love Anna and Elsa?

Bri of course asked to take a silly picture...

She looked so stinkin' cute on Wednesday. Rocking the Monster High gear...

 
Doug headed out of town for business that day. So Wednesday night, Miss B and I went to her favorite restaurant - Stevie B's for pizza...

Then she and I went to Michaels to use a gift card she got for her birthday. She bought this adorable little stuffed dog (Bri dressed the dog herself)...

Thursday, Briana looked so cute once again. She was wearing an outfit that Aunt Ann and Uncle Wes got her for her birthday...

Thursday afternoon, I got a text from my friend Laura asking if Bri and I wanted to meet her and her daughter E at the pool. At first, my head was swimming with "but we have homework to do and I need to make dinner." Then I thought to myself "loosen up - summer is almost over so take advantage - what the heck?!" I'm so glad we did go because the girls (both young and grown up alike) had a very nice time...

And now it is Friday. Doug is trying to get home. His flight was delayed several hours - which is very frustrating. He was supposed to be home when Miss B got home. She cried a little last night because she really missed him. So a quick call to daddy was necessary. Hoping he'll be home by dinner time.

This morning, Bri woke up all smiles (because it is Friday!) and sported her spirit gear for school...

One of my best gifts to Briana for her birthday is her Snackeez cup. She seriously loves this thing. I bring her a drink and snack when I pick her up in school car line. She thinks it is awesome...


 Briana and I just sat down and watched the new Sofia the 1st episode with Mulan. We both loved it! It was all about girl empowerment - a great message! Briana loved it so much, she is actually watching it again as I write this...

We have another quiet weekend on tap. Gonna take advantage of it because the other weekends ahead of us are already starting to fill up a bit.

Have a good weekend ya'll!

August 12, 2014

Calming Things Down A Bit

 I picked Briana up from school on Friday and we were both so happy that Briana got through her first week at school with no issues or problems. It was a pretty seamless week thank goodness.

To celebrate one school week down, Doug, Bri and I had a celebratory hibachi dinner (with a side of dumplings) on Friday night...

The teacher gave Bri this sparkling pencil and a piece of white paper to decorate for her writing notebook at school. Briana came up with this winged pencil idea. Am I crazy or is that pretty darn creative?  I would have never thought of that...

This weekend was really laid back. I needed to decompress. I've had lots of stress and excitement the last several weeks. Briana got a chance to ride her new bike. It fits like a glove...


 Sunday night, Doug, B and I went to a local Italian restaurant for dinner and I ordered an amazing chicken risotto primavera. I just had to take a picture - it was so good. I'm still thinking about it...

My mom e-mailed me a bunch of photos this weekend that she just took off her camera - including a few from my birthday. 

Me and my best guy...

Briana photo bomb...

And Bri scarfing down the chocolate covered strawberry from my cake...

And so Monday came back around and it was time for school again. I had put Bri's hair in wet braids on Saturday night and took them out on Sunday. It gave Bri's hair a bit of wave - which she thought was so awesome...

So that is the scoop for now. The rest of this month should be pretty quiet - except for my nephew turning 6, soccer starting at the end of the month (with Doug as the new coach) and Doug traveling a little bit.

I'm ready for a little normalcy again. :)

August 11, 2014

Briana's Birthday Recap

Briana had a great birthday on Tuesday. She was loved on, gushed over and slightly spoiled. Ok - probably a lot spoiled. She's my only kid, so it is my prerogative. :)

(One thing I can say, Briana always seems very appreciative. That makes me feel good. :D)

I usually like to give Briana her birthday cards in the morning before her day starts. But since we leave for school at the crack of dawn, I decided to give her family birthday cards the evening before her birthday so she could take her time reading them. And Gramma sent a couple of goodies to go with her cards...


Briana woke up for school on her birthday and she put on a lovely top/skirt outfit. I gave her a "birthday girl" pin to wear for the day...

I went to school to have lunch with Miss B and brought mini cupcakes to pass out to her classmates.

Here is Bri in the doorway of her classroom. She was the one to squirt the hand sanitizer on all the kids' hands before they headed to the lunchroom...

She and I sat at the special parent/kid table...

I took this picture of me and my gal at lunch. Bri said, "Hey Mom, this is my first 8 year old selfie!" She is too much...

Mini cupcakes...

Bri and I walked over to the table that her class was sitting at and passed out the cupcakes about halfway through lunch. The kids were pretty happy. :)

On Bri's birthday evening, Briana's request for dinner was "Sweet Tomatoes." We were so happy that Gramma and Papa joined us...


After dinner, we headed home (along with Gramma and Papa). Bri's presents were waiting for her. And I left her Monster High birthday decorations out from her party. :) She got presents from Gramma and Papa, me and Doug and a few other family members as well. 

Mom - these are all mine???

Since we had done cake and cupcakes already for the birthday girl, Bri requested some simple birthday brownies for that evening...



A beautiful outfit from Uncle Wes and Aunt Ann...

Princess Legos!!!!!

Woodzeez!! Thank you Gramma and Papa...


Now for some gifts from Mommy and Daddy. Some books (from one of her favorite series)...

A GoGo Pillow...

The Barbie Digital Makeover set she wanted SO badly...



More princess Legos!!!!

And the big gift - a new bike!!! 

Her feet were completely off the floor with excitement...



I think she had an awesome day! She had a huge smile on her face at the end of the day, so I think the day was a success!

If you missed Bri's birthday party posts - here is the list...

Decorations
Manicures and Pedicures
Cake and A Toast
Fashion Show
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