I think we can all agree that Richard Simmons is over the top! He's on the Today show. He's such a goofball but he's on a great mission right now to petition the President to make PE mandatory. You can go to his website at www.richardsimmons.com to read about it and find the link or go directly to www.zoomerang.com/recipient/survey.zgi?p=WEB225QLXH5W87 to participate.

Also, my mood is much better this morning. I'm in the middle of planning my extended families Christmas gift bags (30 of them!!!). Every year there is a theme - last year it was Scarves. This year it's Christmas CD's - from Gospel to Kids to Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy (for the brothers-in-law). Did you know there are 4511 Christmas related CDs at Barnes & Noble's website!?!?!?! After listening to samples of over 50 cds, my holiday spirit is flowing!

d - you go girl! You are beautiful, inside and out so people are naturally drawn to you. You're going to have a blast tomorrow night!

T - I love the wish trees at the stores, Toys for Tots/Teens scanners at Best Buy, Barnes & Noble's Buy a Book program. Hubby's team at work always adopts a family or contributes to the Salvation Army's food drive (last year they were the top donator by 50%!). When I think about it, we give a lot and definitely make our son part of the process so he understands the importance of giving back. So, while we'll still give the money because I think it's an important contribution, I need to find some projects like ScottMom mentioned and get us out there doing something too.

GaMom - Your teachers are so, so lucky to have you. There always seems to be one (or two or three) who grumble but they'd grumble no matter what, it's just what they do. d is right - overwhelm her with kindness!

GaMom--
Sounds to me like that kindgarten teacher needs your spirit more than anyone else in the school. Just keep shoveling to her until she's covered with joy...at least she'll smell better [img]smile.gif[/img] .
Me and my GFs are going through a midlife crisis. You know where are all the butterflies in our bellies when we kiss...when did turning down the sheets become foreplay...I had a man at a party we attended last week tell me I looked beautiful. I was on cloud nine for a week...just to have a man (not an 8 year old) tell me that. So our solution...we're going out Friday night drinking and flirting...fake eyelashes, long fake nails painted red and everything. Now we'll go to one of those "old timers" bars (you know the dance places in the holiday inns...) so we can at least get in on ladies night...(I think they'll recognize us) but the other 2 folks are pretty good looking so I may be able to get a free soda pop (I'm the designated driver--don't need to get tipsy and fall---aaaaahhhhh). Dec 1-4 more and the hubby have 3 nights about 2 hours from here in a Hilton just me and him. Sisters coming to watch the critters. Woo Hoo--Could be a good couple of weeks!!!

d

Cc - be sure to hunt down the angle trees in the local Kmarts or Walmarts. My girls and I do at least one every year. I try and impress upon my girls that we are so very lucky and that we need to remember and help others. They love to be able to go around the tree and find an "angel" to help. It's always a suprise to them that someone ASKS for a coat, pants, shoes before a toy. It's humbling to mom to get that reminder too.

So, no matter how tight things are - we are lucky.

T

Thanks for asking, GaMom, but no tornadoes here. We were lucky! Just rain and wind.

ScottMom - excellent ideas!!! Thanks for understanding and for the suggestions.

hey CC-are you near where those tornados went thru?? i thought about you when i heard the news tonight.

Scott-i love the birthday party! That will be so fun! i wanna come!