Jackson Coffee Company & a Good Monday...

So, yesterday was a pretty good day for all my ranting and raving.  Maybe the "let it all out" post did me some good. Cheap therapy.

I also happened upon Becky's Blog post HERE and could not believe what I was reading. It was JUST what I needed to hear/read in that moment......... it could not have been better timing!!! Thank you Becky Higgins for sharing that.......  you reached one girl who needed that message!!! (I'm sure countless others too.....)

Now, if only I could actually practice what she preaches....... that would be an awesome thing.  :-)

After work/school, Ally and  I went to the Jackson Coffee Company downtown for our snack and homework....... we had a really nice time.  Ally had a chocolate frappe (coffee free!) and I had a pumpkin pie latte.  YUM!!!!!  She had science to study as she has a test tomorrow. I quizzed her on all her spelling words and she knew every one of them already except for excited.... have to work on that one.  She is on multiplication of threes this week... so we spent some time on that as well.  Math is not her strong suit.... but we worked on it.

We also added some incentive to the multiplication table memorizing (as she really needs to have them down pat by the end of this year)... we told her she could get a hamster (or a gerbil? I forget which she wants).  Dumb idea?  Most likely. But we are trying to get her interested in using the Kahn Academy videos (which are amazing and introduced to me by my little brother and validated by this month's issue of The Economist).  Great, step by step instructions told in an amazing, easy to "get" way.  She wasn't interested at first.... but she loves learning on the computer or iPad or even her iPod... so we were thinking she would like this. We shall see if she uses it........

So, anyway... trying to incentivize her a bit...... a little furry incentive.  Lord what have we done? ;-)

So... Ally loved the Jackson Coffee Company and I do too.  Love so many things about it. Love the location (super easy for us to get Luke after and get to gymnastics. Love that it's a local business.  Love the place itself...... cool architecture.... reuse of a downtown building.... and not to mention, great coffee.... plus, Ally got a balloon. What more can you ask for?  ;-)

 We headed over to get Luke, who appeared to have had a great day - even though he has reverted back to crying each morning.  :(  A huge bummer for me... not the best way to start my morning.  Yesterday he painted an apple and was proud to show us. Came home with a permission slip for ANOTHER fun field trip... this time, to the fire station next week!  We went to the gym and dropped Ally.... had her official fitting for her competition leo and her warm ups..... and Luke and I ran to the grocery store where I purchased three meals worth of food.  Yay me.  ;-)

Came home and made tacos... cuz I forgot a key ingredient for stir fry...... so we will have that today.... and did some picking up.... organizing and generally tried to stay on top of things.  Threw some laundry in.... poured a glass of wine..... ate dinner with Ally and Scott got home....... made Luke's lunch, signed Ally's assignment notebook, did the dishes, got the kids down..... and Scott and I talked for a while and then I read.  All in all.... a good, complete day and night.

This morning... alarm goes off at 5:15....I am out of bed by 5:30 ( must get better!!! )... and the morning didn't feel too terribly frantic. I had to wake Luke a bit earlier and he still had a hard time at the drop off... but I am feeling good... I know he's just fine.  It's all a part of the transition and growing up.....

Yesterday, in my quest to take charge of my life.... I found a super cool App (for my iPhone) that I really, really like.  It's called 2Do and it is a fancy to do list for my phone.  I am a huge list person. Love lists. Love the feeling of checking things off a list. And this, does EXACTLY that... I can even check something off and it actually "crosses" it off for me... and I can see that and it makes me feel accomplished. Silly?  Probably. But, it does something for me... and I like it.  ;-)

It also sends me reminder texts......... so in the middle of my day I can get a text that reads 'Hey dummy - remember to pay for gymnastics today!'  Something I really suck at remembering to do! (we pay all our bills online so when a check is required... things tend to fall off the radar screen!)

I am loving it.  Okay, I've only had it for 24 hours... but those have been a great 24 hours.....  :-))))))))))

Dork. Yes.  I know.

Happy Tuesday blog world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!