| Teresa Marie 的个人资料Wells43照片日志列表 |  工具  帮助 |
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4月12日 It's about time I wrote in here again!I think it's about time I wrote in here again! I think the last entry says 1st day of school. Well it's now April and school is almost out! Jim's 49th birthday was yesterday. I had to work last night but the kids and Cynthia said they all had a great time. I made chicken fajitas for them,,,well I had everything ready for them when they got home from school and work. We got him a deck chair. He loves sitting on the balcony at night. OK I thought I had more time to write but I have to get to work! I'm off tomorrow so I'll have more time then. xoxox love, me8月15日 First Day of School!Today was the first day back to school for the kids. I was so happy to be able to be home and make their breakfast and make their lunches. For the last 3 years I've always been on a bus route when the kids are getting ready for school.
I always thought I was doing something great for the bus rider kids. Their parents couldn't/wouldn't drive them to school so I thought I was the 2nd best thing. Thought I was doing something wonderful for all these kids. Then I thought, oh my gosh, my kids aren't being driven to school by me! I'm doing the same thing to my kids as these other parents are doing, leaving them for someone else to take care of. It was time I got a reality check and got my booty home where it belongs. I'm so happy I'm here with them and I think they are too.
I was ok dropping the girls off this morning, but then, as I pulled up to Mason's school, he said, 'Mom are you crying?' I said, 'I'm trying not to' and he said, 'Oh it's ok Mom, go ahead, that's what Mom's do'.
What a guy. So I did.
Kyle took pictures on the way to school of everyone in the car. Sweet of her. I love pictures that capture a moment in time.
They all had a wonderful day and they all like their teachers. That's always a relief!
The annual tradition of filling out emergency contact info. has just been completed by me. It took exactly 2 hours for three kids. That's way too long. Bedtime........sweet dreams. {Tickled Sweet Dreams~!}
6月28日 Famous Last Wordslook at this trove
treasures untold how many wonders can one cavern hold? up where they stay all day in the sun wanderin' free wish I could be part of that world can I be the one you treasure can I ask you to light my way can I rest upon your shoulders hook, line, sinker should I question knowledge fishing can I have all of your answers reach out to me can't you see I need you to guide me
clean keep it clean clean it up clean up your act act play all the world's a stage play your part rose coloured glasses
all I ever wanted from this play was someone to talk to costume it's good to be king and I could be your queen who's gonna wear my crown heroes just for one day a day in the life head honcho just what I said change my...tone I'm...done life love harmony and me on a boat on the sea sail across the sun see the lights all faded and that heaven is overrated fall for a shooting star soul vacation too afraid to fly so she never did land sweep you off your feet clean sweep your my best friend always sticking up for you
even when I know you're wrong
five-hour phone conversation coffee
tea, 9:00
my time
7:00
your time
head back toward the Milky Way and all you ever wanted for me was the time to understand and all I ever wanted for you was to see me shining for you the truth that you'll find will always be the truth you hide you'd long to be her but to be her is surely blinding she's on fire if I could be inside her light I would steal enough to make my way into the night and if I could be inside her light I might just find I'd be alright it's not just a daydream if you decide to make it your life when I find out who I am I'm gonna know just what to do I'm gonna give myself to you your world is still lacking of me I'm happy as Christmas all wrapped to be seen I'm your recent acquisition time to celebrate me sure we know the problem lies with some insecurities but we'll never see eye to eye as long as our tongues are tied and we'll never be seen as one until we find love in a moment it could happen we could wake up and be laughing in a moment it could happen we could forgive and be happy sister don't cry anymore conquer some serenity lay yourself in a field of poetry close you eyes to all you see lay your weary head here with me what would I give to live where you are? what would I pay to stay here beside you? what would I do to see you smiling at me? where would we walk? where would we run? if we could stay all day in the sun? just you and me and I could be part of your world I don't know when I don't know how but I know something's starting right now watch and you'll see some day I'll be part of your world Train, Elton John, Matchbox 20, David Bowie, Collective Soul, Ariel,
and me 6月14日 End Of School and DISNEY WORLD!!!OK School is out, yayyyyyyyyy! Enough of that! Now on to more important things.......
Disney World! YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!! I finally went, thanks to Kyle Christine! The band marched down Main Street USA at Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. It was Tuesday, June 6th, 2006 at 2:30 in the afternoon.
Maybe I should backtrack here. Last year the band director sent in a tape of the marching band performing at the UIL competition. They were accepted by Disney to march in the Disney World parade with 5 other High School bands. Very exciting! So, we chartered 2 buses and planned our trip. Cynthia went with us. There were 70 students and 10 chaperones. We hauled all the instruments and uniforms and enough clothes to last us 7 days in Florida. We were limited to one carry on and one suitcase. I used the biggest suitcase I had. I had bought a whole matching set of luggage from JC Penney's just for the trip. My first luggage! I was so excited :)
No more traveling as a bag lady. It took us 24 hours to drive from Liberty Hill, Texas to Orlando, Florida.
We stopped in Mississippi to change drivers at 2:00 A.M. I missed our first driver, Poncho. He was awesome. I told him I was a school bus driver and I'd give anything to drive that HUGE travel bus. It was awesome. It had a DVD player with 8 screens, surround sound stereo, even a bathroom! that no one used. It was just for emergencies and they said if we used it it would stink the whole way to Florida. So we waited til we stopped for bathroom breaks. We got to Ocala, Florida and stopped for lunch. Travis Mays is from Ocala. I always wanted to go there. I looked for something with his name on it, like Travis Mays Drive or Travis Mays Park......but I didn't see anything :( Travis Mays is a basketball player and played for U.T. and the San Francisco Kings. He played in Europe too. He's been a friend of ours since the 1980's.
From Ocala we drove to Kissimee and to our hotel. Home for 7 days. Housekeeping didn't know what hit them when we drove up in two buses! After we checked in most of the kids headed for the pool. It was beautiful and big. I think all the parents took a nap! For dinner that first night the band directors, Cynthia and I walked to a nearby steak and seafood restaurant. It was delicious! I had the original Kye Lime Pie for dessert. It was amazing! On the walk back to the hotel we saw the fireworks from Magic Kingdom. I was so excited about seeing the castle in the morning I couldn't sleep. I had waited what seemed like my whole life to see that castle in person. I just couldn't believe I was finally there.
That night I called for a 5:00 A.M. wake-up call, then I called my girls who I was chaperoning and woke them up. We all had to meet on the bus at 8:00. We had the breakfast buffet first in the hotel restaurant. It was awful. I paid $25.00 to get the breakfast buffet all week. I'll never do that again. I took bananas and yogurt every morning to the room though. We boarded the buses and drove to the Magic Kingdom. I was so excited when I saw the exit sign to Disney World on the highway. Yes I took a picture! We parked and walked to the gate. We had our bags searched and showed our ticket, then took the monorail to The Magic Kingdom. Walking through the gate was like a dream and then walking around the corner and seeing the castle was absolutely breathtaking. It was just like the Disney Tape we've been watching for 14 years. They had a horse drawn carriage and couples (Disney Dancers) singing, 'I'm Gonna Walk Down the Middle Of Main Street USA' Tears streaming down my face, I was breathless, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was more beautiful than I had ever imagined. Words just can't describe it. The streets were spotless, everyone calls you Princess, everyone is so nice. We saw Goofy walking around with Donald Duck right inside the front gates. It was heaven on Earth. I saw Chip & Dale signing autographs by City Hall. I went into the nearest shop and bought an autograph book and stood in line to get their autograph for Mason. That's all he wanted was Chip & Dale's autograph. Cynthia and I had our picture taken with them too. After that I had to walk towards the castle. I just needed to touch it. It still didn't look real. It must be a dream. It was huge, it touched the sky, it sparkled like crystal and gold. Well I didn't touch it until the last day we were there. I didn't want the dream to end.
It was now 1:30 and time to take our positions at the end of Main Street to save our spot for the parade. We were facing the castle. Our kids were the first band. To hear the announcer say, 'Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome from Liberty Hill, Texas, the Liberty Hill Panther Band!' was breathtaking too! I choked back tears, then my camera broke, then I just watched in awe and thought, wow, there's my baby girl. Look where she is, look what she's done, look how far she's come and she's just 16. I was the proudest parent on main street that day. They played, 'Deep In The Heart Of Texas'. It was beautiful. They marched beyond the gates and I didn't see Kyle again until we boarded the bus to go back to the Hotel. I spent the rest of the time walking on a cloud. We'll be getting the DVD of the parade in August. They interviewed some of the kids, Kyle too, before and after the parade. That'll be on the DVD too. After the bands marched the character parade started. We saw Mickey, and the whole gang. Cinderella and Prince Charming were there too, in her crystal carriage. It was really them, I couldn't believe the magic of this place. Walt Disney must be so proud that his dream is still being realized today by so many people.
The rest of the time all I wanted to do was get back to the Magic Kingdom, but we had to go to Epcot one day and to MGM one day, and to Universal Studios one day. Oh, we went to Animal Kingdom one day too. I'm glad I saw all of it, but Magic Kingdom was my favorite.
I saw elephants and I danced with Lucy & Ricky Ricardo at MGM, and the best part, I met Pluto on the last day when we went back to Magic Kingdom. It was 30 minutes before we had to board the buses to go home and I met him. It was amazing. I was 9 years old again and watching the Wonderful World Of Disney at 6 P.M. on Sunday night on ABC waiting to see Pluto. I kept telling myself not to cry. It didn't work. It was my turn after standing in line for about 30 minutes. He opened his arms to hug me and the flood gates opened. I hugged him and he held me in his arms until I could stop crying for a minute. He kissed me, licked me (he's a dog), he signed my autograph book, and signed it to 'cutiepie' :) He said he loved me by pounding his heart and falling to the floor and rolling around. It was adorable and slightly over the top! I got outside and really cried. I had to take time to compose myself. I had been waiting a long time for that, and I can only think that I got so emotional, not only when I met Pluto, but for the whole trip, the castle and everything because it reminded me of a time when things were simpler. Heck, everything is simple when you're 9! I think the stress of divorce, kids, work, everything, has taken its toll on me this year and being in a place that was a fantasy land was heaven. No worries. I didn't want to come home. After meeting Pluto Cynthia and I rode the Carousel by Cinderella's castle. It was wonderful. I think the best picture of me was taken on the carousel. After that we walked through the castle and I finally touched it. It was real. The Magic Kingdom is a real place. It has real people working every day to make it magical. It has real bills that need to be paid, and real problems that they handle with love and compassion. Just like life everywhere, not just in the Magic Kingdom. We can learn from Walt Disney. Keep it clean, be nice, compassionate, and thoughtful. Or 'Thotful' as Pooh says. Everything you need to know you learned in Kindergarten or at Disney World.
On the drive home we stopped in Mississippi again and switched drivers. Eddy got off and Poncho got back on. When we stopped for breakfast somewhere in Louisiana Poncho asked me if I really wanted to drive the bus. I said are you kidding?? Heck Yes I want to drive it!! So he said as soon as we get back to the High School he'd stop and I could get behind the wheel and drive the bus to the back of the High School where all the parents were waiting to pick up their kids. Oh my, was I one happy camper! We pulled into the High School around
4 PM on Sunday and I got behind the wheel. It was amazing. Disney Magic right here in Liberty Hill! Kyle took pictures. I think I want to drive for Clark Travel now! 4月18日 27 Days left!27 days left until school is out! I told my boss today that I wanted to drive a summer school bus route. Hope I get to. It's so much fun in the summer. The kids are so cool. I went to summer school all 4 years of High School.......I was cool, lol
I finally got my web site up for the Bakery. It's www.tickledsweetbakery.com if you care to see what I've done so far. I still have a lot of work to do on it. I'll have more time to work on it in the summer. I still need to add a wedding cake gallery and an online order form page. I've gotten a few orders in the past week. The Home Ec. teacher at the High School asked me to bake a cake for her daughters first birthday! That was fun. I always wanted to be a home ec. teacher. So what's better than being the home ec. teacher? being asked by one to bake a cake for her daughter!!!!!
 A picture of it is on my site. It's the second cake, I think. It's 4 layers and frosted with buttercream and has one flower on the top of it. It has a yellow border. She said it was sooooooo good, she can't wait to order another! Disney World is almost here! June 4th, yayyyyyyyyyyyy! Another dream coming true, I'm going to Disney World!
I keep playing those Super Bowl commercials over in my head, you know the ones.....Walter Payton, you just won the Super Bowl! What are you gonna do now???? I'm going to Disney World! Brett Favre...you just one the Super Bowl!(again)! What are you gonna do?!?!?!?!? I'm going to Disney World! Teresa Marie, you just drove 73 kids home from school, what are you gonna do now?!?!?!? I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!! Teresa Marie, you just got your first cake order! What are you gonna do now??? I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!! I just want to see the castle, ride the teacups, see Kyle march down Main Street USA with the band, and have my picture taken with Pluto. Wow, Kyle marching at Disney World. Amazing. We've watched that Disney video a million times since she was 2. The one where they march, sing and dance down Main Street. I never thought my daughter would be doing that. I truly must have done something good sometime in my life to deserve all this joy that I get from my children. They've put up with my listening to Collective Soul in the car and at home for 12 years, I thought I'd pay them back and take them to a Collective Soul concert. Nice of me, I know, lol. So this Saturday is the big night. Karlene and Mason are going with me. Kyle didn't want to join us. Has she heard enough? Maybe so, silly girl. I'm taking my picture of Ed and me from last summer so I can give him a copy....so High School, I know, but hey, it's Collective Soul! Rock on!
3月17日 Spring Break 2006Today is Friday, the end of Spring Break. Two more days until the kids go back to school and Cynthia and I go back to work. I've been looking at pictures of the students I teach and now I know why I do what I do. I look at their faces and I see love. I look into their eyes and I see them looking back into mine and I see love. That's what it's all about. Love. John Lennon was right. All you need is love.  SXSW is going on in Austin this week. Watching the news and seeing the bands I can honestly say I have no interest in going down to 6th street to see any of the bands. Seventeen years ago I worked in a hair salon on the University of Texas campus and I couldn't wait to get down to 6th street to party and see new music. Yes 'see'. That's what we always said. Let's go see new music. This year, seventeen years older, I went online and ordered some good 'old' music to listen to. Jeff Beck, Robin Trower; Bridge of Sighs, and Pat Travers; Essential Collection.  Now that's music! It's interesting how music brings back memories. I could remember exactly what I was doing when I heard these songs for the first time. I remembered every word too. Music is amazing the way it makes your mind work. I remembered every guitar lick, every drum solo and I nailed every ending. I really should have been a rock & roll star. Does everybody sing this good in the car, windows rolled up and the stereo cranked? Does anyone say stereo anymore????? I was in an antique resale shop today with Karlene and I pointed out a film projector to her and told her we had one when I was little. It was something like an 8mm projector. Karlene said, 'Mom you're really showing your age now!' So I tried again and said, 'Hey Karlene, look at that! What is it? I've never seen one before.' She said, 'Much better Mom, not sure what it is but it looks reallllllllllllly old!'. She's so adorable :)  So I'm safe at home listening to my oldie goldie moldey's, having a blast, saving gas and watching my precious baby bunny sleep. I checked the chicks and they're warm, outside, under their heat lamp, in their hen house. We've had a 4 year old hen that was given to us by a friend that hadn't laid an egg since we got her. Then the day the baby chicks came (2 weeks ago), she laid an egg! She's laid an egg every day since! I'm going to have such wonderful tasting cakes because of these fresh eggs! They'll be Tickled Sweet!!!!!!!  3月4日 Spring is in the air!Happy Spring! (almost). It feels like it anyway. It was close to 90° yesterday.
 I've been busy baking and decorating cakes for the past month. I haven't been able to get a good night sleep in awhile though. Working from 6 A.M. til 5:30 P.M. 5 days a week is taking its toll on me. Then we have Softball practice twice a week. Sunday and Wednesday. Add play practice and band practice one night a week from 6-8. When I get home it's time to be Mom. With 3 children and many pets that means laundry, dishes, dinner, reading and signing homework papers, and sometimes shelling out cash for the newest fundraiser. It makes me sound more like a maid instead of a mother. I don't want to get too down though. I do have summers off, Christmas, Spring Break, & Thanksgiving. I have many blessings in my life. I have to stay healthy to enjoy them all though. I was ill last week with a sinus infection. I missed 3 days of work. I loved being here when the kids got home from school. I baked cookies and had dinner ready at 5:00 all 3 days. It was nice. I felt awful, but it was nice to be here.
I decorated a sheet cake for the High School for Valentines Day. They loved it.......I asked them of course. (Yanno, Paris Hilton voice, 'do you love it?' 'Oh yes!' phew! no tears that time.)
I made a heart cake for the staff in life skills. It was pretty. I love pink and white cakes.
So I started thinking of a name for my cake company again. We went through hundreds of names. Kyle & Karlene's Cakes, Mason's Cakes, KKM Cakes, Hill Country Cakes (I liked that one but it was a little boring I was told). Then there was Teresa's Cakes, Cakes by Teresa, Cakes by TM, Elegant Cakes, Lovely Cakes, Just Cakes, (get your) Just Desserts, Have Your Cake and Eat It Too (taken), Cake Love (taken), Oh My Gosh, It's Ganache! Cakes, Cakes Cakes Cakes, Crazy Cakes, and the list keeps going....like I said, hundreds of names. I have them all written down somewhere. So someone at home asked, 'did they like the cake at work?' and I said 'yes! they were tickled pink!' The next day on the school bus, (great place to think, for me anyway, I find it so relaxing, I just love driving the bus....have I mentioned that yet?), I was thinking about a company name. Tickled pink came to mind.......hmmmmmmm, they were 'tickled pink' I had said the day before about the staff and my cake. Tickled pink. They were tickled pink over my tickled sweets! Yes! That's it! Tickled Sweets! How perfect! I didn't give it another thought. I had the perfect name. I could put away my list of hundreds of other names and practice writing this one. I imagined people writing checks for a cake. Tickled Sweets. Easy to write, pretty even. I like the cursive S. Easy to spell. I didn't want people to have to ask how to spell it. So this name passed the first two tests. Then I thought about ads for the paper or the store front. Valentines day, 'Tickle your sweetie with a Tickled Sweet!' . So cute! So many possibilities for advertising! The next thing I had to do was not tell ANYONE the name until I saw if it was a registered name. I thought about that name for one week, day & night, all the time. I wrote it, typed it, made pretty signs with it on the computer, hid it from everyone, then I thought I'd burst. Who could I tell? I had to get some feedback on this. One trusted person to not tell a soul until I registered the name. Who could I tell? Who could I ask if this was a good name for a cake shop? Everyone I had talked to had an opinion and a few names of their own. I had picked this name and I wanted to own it. I knew the perfect person to unveil the name to. She was under my own roof. My sweet Karlene, who is so honest it is almost painful sometimes. She is so honest I'd be able to tell if it was a good name by just looking in her face (yes in, not at) what she was thinking the second I said it. I hadn't even typed a search in the computer for the name yet. I was too scared it would be gone, taken, and I'd have to start over. So I spent a week thinking positive about the name, giving it positive energy, telling the name it would be mine. Saying things like this was meant to be, this is all in 'The Plan'. I was so nervous I had to do something to calm myself! (Vodka used to do that for me but I haven't had a drink in two years). Then I, of course, being who I am, went through the thought process of, 'well if it's taken there will be a better name for me' and yadda yadda yadda. So it was time. I had Karlene sit in the living room with me and I said, 'Karlene, sweetheart, honey......I thought of a perfect name for the cake company. I want to tell you before I find out if it's registered yet. I haven't told anyone. You can't tell anyone. You just have to tell me if it's a good name. Just know that I think it's perfect, know I love it, know I have no other name that will do, know that if you don't love it I will cry........'ok ok ok Mom, tell meeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! OK, here it is.....ready Kar? Oh my flippin' Gosh..... YES MOM!' Ok, it's 'Flippin' Sweet'.....deer in headlights stare.......Just Kidding Kar! It's Tickled Sweets . Do you LOVE it???????? Looking into her face she said, 'Oh my flippin gosh Mom I LOVE IT!! Then she said It's perfect! So there I had my answer. The perfect name. Now the computer search on the name. Scared to death I typed t-i-c-k-l-e-d-s-w-e-e-t-s into google. Closed my eyes and hit enter. Peeked and omg nothing with that name came up! I couldn't believe it. I could believe it! It was my name! I had to get to the courthouse in a hurry. We couldn't tell anyone until I signed the papers for the name. When would I have time to go? You make time for things like this that are so important. I made time. First I researched everything I could on starting a business. I read everything I could get my hands on. I talked to the bank, I read how to have a successful business, I went to the SBA site, clicked the link for women in small business. Read the Governors page on doing business in Texas. Read why a certain percent of small businesses fail in the first year, what makes them a success, read about laws, taxes, everything. Finally I called the courthouse. The nice lady on the other end of the line gave me directions to the Justice center. I got in the car, stopped at the bank and got some cash, (They don't take checks for registering names of businesses), and I drove the 30 minutes it takes to get to the Justice Center. I parked in the parking garage, walked across the street and went in. I was in the jail. I went in the wrong building. You'd think the bars on the windows would have tipped me off that I was going in the wrong building. After the five guards gave me a quick but thorough once over with their eyes they pointed me in the right direction. Up one block ma'am, you're in the jail. Oh, Thank you.
I found it. I took the elevator to the basement of the Justice building. The doors open and there are arrows pointing to the right guiding me to the right office for DBA forms. I read a lot in the past week about how to do this, so I smiled to myself when I read the sign and stepped out of the elevator because I knew what a DBA form was and I knew that's where I needed to go. I went to the office with the open door that had women in there laughing out loud. I could hear the laughter from the elevator. I thought, oh how cute, they sound tickled pink! The sweet lady pointed me in the direction of a room with thousands of records. Must have been the record room, but I didn't hear any music. I told the lady in there I wanted to see if a name was available for my business. She said ok, look in that book right there, (pointing to a book so large I felt like a little person in Land of the Giants), and look up the name and hope you don't find it. If you don't find the name you want then come over here and I'll set you up on a computer. I carefully turned the huge pages to the T's. Then T-I. My heart was racing. Please please please dear God don't let it be there. I heard in return, don't worry, if it's there then I have a better name for you. T-I. Lots under Ti. T-I-A...T-I-C- nothing. Nothing???? Nope, nothing. Thank you God. Looking at the lady behind the counter I said, nope it's not here. She said, 'Great! now come over here to this computer, type in the name and hit enter and hope it's not there either. ok. Tickled Sweets. No documents found! Sweet!!!!!!!!! hehe. I told her, happily, 'nothing!' She said, 'Great!, now go back to that office and tell them you passed all my tests. Okie dokie. I went back to the laughter and told her. She said ok, fill this out and I'll take it when you're done. While I was sitting there filling out the DBA two men walked up to the counter. I overheard them ask the clerk if she would type their business name in as a website to see if a porn site came up. Apparently the name they picked for their business the day before went to a porn site on the computer so they were there to change the name. She chimed, No porn site! They said ok good, and went on their merry way to the records room, where no music played.
As I wrote my business name on the appropriate line I started thinking. Tickled Sweets, Tickled Sweet. Hmmm. Porn site. Yup, this could easily be a porn site. People might think Tickled Sweets is porn and not cakes. (fleeting thought of mega bucks to be made in the tickled sweet porn business, ads would be easy enough, lots of pink things to tickle with.......ok, no no no.....back to cakes. Don't want to give the wrong impression, so on the business name line after I wrote Tickled Sweet, I added Bakery. That has a ring to it I thought. Tickled Sweet Bakery. That could work. I make some most excellent cinnamon rolls, and great pies, stuff like that. Ok, Tickled Sweet Bakery it is. I handed the clerk my DBA form. She doubled checked it in her system. She asked me for $21.00. I said to her that I wasn't sure if I should use my home address for the bakery address or my P.O. box and said I was now the owner of Tickled Sweet Bakery and since I was the boss I could do whatever I wanted! She then said, 'It's good to be Queen'. Oh hell yeah it is! Wow, do you love it? Oh yes I do! Then tears. I couldn't drive like this. I stopped in the records room (no music) on the way to the elevator and asked the nice lady for a folder or something to put my DBA in so I wouldn't get it wet with tears on the way home. I said I had to stop crying so I could drive home. We laughed about how crazy it would be if I died in a crash on the way home because I couldn't see through the happy tears and people would say, 'yup, her business killed her, and on the first day too!' She was funny, I laughed and cried the whole way home. It was a very very exciting time for me. I couldn't wait to tell Cynthia and the kids. They were all 'Tickled Sweet'! 2月9日 Mason's Cake and Wilton called again!Wilton called and they want me to teach at their Bee Caves store. It's an hour away from home. ugh.
Too far. Then they said they were 'desperate'. Another ugh. Just what I didn't want to hear. So I said, welllllllll will you pay mileage???? You know how gas prices are these days.......she said no. Oh well, it was exciting to get the call anyway, even if it did only last a few minutes. There will be other calls.
Here are some pictures of Mason's Birthday cake. The cake the 'cool Mom' baked and decorated :)
I get to drive the band bus again! Didn't think I would after marching season was over. This is for the Middle school band and they're going to their UIL meet. Karlene will be going too.
She's been practicing for the Spring Play. She got the lead! again!! She won't tell me the name of the play. She said she wanted it to be a surprise. She said I would cry as soon as the play started. Does she really not know that I always cry when the curtain goes up and I see her on stage? No matter what the play is? And that I cry at the first note played of a band concert she is in? Silly girl. I am so proud of her and everything she's accomplished. She works so hard. So does Kyle, and Mason too. Kyle has her UIL band meet this Saturday. There's only 10 going from the High School band so they won't need a bus. The band director will be driving them in a school van. Mason has his 4th grade sock hop tomorrow. 50's day, I remember it well. 7th grade, nothing to wear. A poodle skirt? I think not. I wanted to go as a guy. Jeans rolled up, tight white t-shirt, sleeves rolled up, hair all slicked back, black boots. I just didn't dress up. I remember 2nd grade. My hair was so long I could part it in the back and pull the hair around to the front and make a ponytail on my chin and make it look like a beard. Two girls and I did it one day in the girls bathroom and went to class like that. Mrs. Woodbury, my 2nd grade teacher, said for us to 'take that out right now! If God meant for us to be boys we would have been born that way!'. hmmmmmm interesting thought. I never really liked Mrs. Woodbury. She only liked the boys and the really smart ones at that. I was neither.
If the movie Grease had been out in 1970 I would have gone to 50's day as Pinky Tuscadero. She was hot. I could go as a girl and still be tough.
It's hard to slick all your hair back when it's almost down to your waist, so in 8th grade I cut it all off. All by myself. In my bedroom. With paper scissors. This was about 30 minutes before Craig Ettenger's dad drove up the driveway, with Craig, to take me to the 8th grade dance. Wild.
In 8th grade I finally got to dress as a boy and have it be 'acceptable'. I was David Bowie for an hour. I dressed as he did on his Ziggy Stardust album. Green jumpsuit, snow white tan, spiders from Mars...the works. I lipsinced 'Fame' for my Language Arts class. Foil wrapped round brush as a microphone, hair spiked up with dippity-do. The teacher liked it so much she asked me to do it again the next day for ALL her Language arts classes. I was in Heaven. I could do this forever. Act. Be who I wanted when I wanted and it would be ok. I'll tell the rest later, it's late. The bus will be waiting for me at 6:15 A.M.
I can't wait! Honestly, I can't. Last night at midnight I wished I didn't have to go to sleep, I just wanted to go to the bus and clean it and wash it, sweep it, check the engine, polish the chrome.....and then it would be 6:15 A.M. when I was done and I could take off on my route. But i slept, and woke, and drove, and it was awesome, even with my bus a little dusty from no rain.
 1月25日 Applied to Wilton Enterprises and it's Mason's Birthday!Wow how time flies! It's almost Valentines Day!
I applied to Wilton as a Cake Decorator Instructor. The day after I sent the application in online they called me.
I don't know if the quick response is because they were impressed with me or because they're desperate for instructors. Either way it doesn't matter.......oh heck, of course it matters! I'll just assume they were impressed and go with it! :) They told me how much I'd make to teach each course. They're divided into 4 classes each.
You're required to teach at least one course a month. I just don't know if it's worth it. It's kind of like my job now, I don't do it for the money, I do it because I love it, and sometimes that just won't pay all the bills. But if I am doing 3 different jobs I love, then the bills will get paid. Hmmmmmmm...High School Aide, School Bus Driver, Cake Decorator. How do these three things go together? I know! Teresa loves them all!
The big news of the day is it's Mason's 10th Birthday! We're having a party for him this Saturday. He invited 6 friends. Good grief, 10. It just doesn't seem possible. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, and my baby just turned 10 years old. I am what I am and that's what I am. And there you have it.
I made my first cake order! It was a birthday cake for a friends son's 13th Birthday  last week. He asked me what I'd charge him and I said if you'll just buy some powdered sugar for me I won't charge you for the cake. Since I'm still taking classes I didn't think it was right to charge him. I told him and my co-workers, 'BUT, when I finish this 3rd course you're gonna' cough up the bucks for a most terrific cake!'. They've all been so supportive while I've been learning this new craft. They've all been just wonderful. I met James at the bus barn that Friday night and he handed me a $20 bill and said, 'get your sugar and keep the change'. I was thrilled! So here's the picture of his son Jacob's cake. 1月8日 Finished Course II :)The grand finale cake for course II was a wedding cake. I had a blast making it. I even had more fun watching the other ladies assemble theirs in class. I made a 2 tier wedding cake. The top was 6"x4" and the bottom was 10"x4". I frosted it with white buttercream frosting with a leaf border and small dot flowers all over, all in white. It had a ruffled edge border with a smaller shell border on top of that. My next course starts next Wednesday and it's all about flowers. Perfect for spring!I photographed the wedding cake with Cynthia's turtle on top of it, then with our 2 snowgirls on it. It looked kind of bare without anything on top, so we had fun with it. I took it to work the next day to show it off and share it with the staff at the High School. They loved it. Hopefully I will get some business in the future from them. Our Lifeskills students all had a piece of cake too. I loved the smiles on their faces as they took their first bite. They were all giggling and happy.
12月23日 Christmas Eve EveIt's Christmas Eve Eve, as Kyle calls it. We've had a very exciting week off from school and work. I've had two cake decorating classes this week. One was a make-up class from last weeks freeze. It's such an enjoyable class. No kids, no men, just us women doing something we all love doing. It's like beauty school. All of us working towards one goal. Very cool. We all feed off of each others energy, creativity and talent. It's really great to share. A great chef never minds sharing her recipes.
Last week I won tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet on the radio. Cynthia and I went last night. Excellent seats too! I bought the girls tickets and took them today. Mason went with me and we dropped the girls off and we went to have our Christmas lunch at an old favorite hamburger joint of mine by U.T. called 'Players'. I used to work across the street from Players 17 years ago as a hairdresser. I'd trade haircuts for Bacon Cheeseburgers with the owner. He'd call and ask me if I wanted the same, (BCB w/mayo & a diet coke) and he'd bring it across the street, I'd cut his hair and then eat lunch. This was a regular gig once a month for over a year. His name is Eddy and he still owns it. I haven't seen him since 1989, but I always ask for him when I go in. I'll see him again one of these days. We don't get there often. Maybe once or twice a year because it's an hour drive from home.
Then Mason and I went to Barton Creek Mall. He's never been there. I used to sell shoes at Barton Creek Mall in J.C. Penney's back in 1981. The good 'ol days when I could depend on Mom & Dad for housing and food and I could walk out on a job just because I didn't like it and not worry about bills. So that's what I did one day when I was out to lunch, I just didn't go back. They made us wear stockings, ALL the time. Ick!
So we had a good time walking around the extremely crowded mall on Christrmas eve eve. At 4:00 we drove back to the Bass Concert Hall to pick up the girls. They had a wonderful time and they came out with ballet slipper Christmas ornaments. They're so cute.
We've been wrapping presents tonight, baking cookies and I even decorated another cake!
Jim has the next 3 days off and he's here with the kids. It's been wonderful. They are so happy he's been home all week. Tomorrow we're baking more cookies for friends and wrapping more presents. We may go to look at the Christmas lights tomorrow night.
Merry Chrismahannukwanzica!!!!!
12月8日 Marching Season Over :(December 2nd was our last playoff game. LH lost to Cuero. I didn't drive to the game. I'm glad I ended the season on a high note, driving the band home from the Divine game in San Antonio two weeks ago.
Cynthia and I went out to dinner at Red Lobster. It was very relaxing, good food and good company.
Jim and Stacy took the kids to the game in Buda (against Cuero). I picked up Kyle at the High School at midnight.
Jim took the little ones to his house. Kyle and I stayed up til 2 talking about the game and the band marching into the stadium. Always an exciting time for Kyle. It's so wonderful to watch her tell a story. She's becoming more animated all the time when she talks and tells stories. I almost feel like I was there when I listen to her.
Kyle had to be at the High School the next morning at 6:45 a.m. The bus was leaving at 7:00 for Smithville. They were holding the High School Region band tryouts at the High School there. Cynthia and I went Christmas shopping and had lunch at Lone Star Cafe. Kyle didn't get back to the High School until 7:30 Saturday night. I went to pick her up...yet again. Jim, Stacy and the kids drove out to meet us at home at 8:00 P.M. to take Kyle to their house for the night but Kyle was too tired and had a lot of homework, so she stayed home. None of us have a cell phone anymore so it makes it hard to keep in touch on the road, or I would have called Turp and saved him the drive out here. It's a 45 minute drive from Stacy's. We all had a nice visit though, so it was ok.
I've been busy in my spare time taking a cake decorating class. I always wonder, as I'm driving to North Austin once a week at 6:00 P.M., how in the world do I have spare time when I have 3 kids, 2 jobs, 10 cats, 3 dogs, chickens, and a house on 5 acres to take care of? The only answer, and the best answer is that I have a wonderfully supportive family that loves me very much. You can't work all the time. I do have summers off from the bus route and the High School. That is a nice break from the crazy schedules we all have now. I've also thought about how, when you love doing something, there isn't much that will stand in your way so you can do it. Cynthia has been an amazing help to me so that I can live the life I want to. She takes the kids to school every morning so I can drive the bus. She makes their dinner or takes them out to eat on the nights I have class. If she didn't help as much as she does, finding the time to do the things I want to do would be very difficult. The kids help too. They're finally learning how to do their laundry and dishes. I told them I don't like doing it any more than anyone else, but I like clean clothes and clean dishes! I think they got tired of hearing me say, 'be thankful we have running water and a working washer and dryer so we don't have to walk 5 miles to do our wash in the river!'. They are very thankful and so am I. I count my blessings every day, starting with waking up and being able to get out of bed without a backache. I'm thankful for hot water, the washer and dryer work, we have ac and heat (thankful for that especially tonight because it's snowing!), thankful when my car starts, and thankful when the garbage truck comes and picks up the trash. About 10 years ago we went without trash pickup for about 4 months in the summer, and let me tell you, trash piling up in the Texas heat when you have a County burn ban in the summer, is, well......it turns into garbage. Stinky, nasty, stench. It's gross. So I make sure I pay that bill!
OK back to the fun stuff! Cake decorating! It's amazing to be able to mix ingredients just right, pour it in a pan, put it in a heated box (oven), and have it come out all ready for you to make it pretty. It's like a new, fresh canvas to a painter, or a potters wheel with fresh clay on it ready to mold into a masterpiece. Every cake is a new start to make something amazing. Something pleasing to the eye and the palate. I take a lot of pictures because you can't save a cake like you can a painting. Decorating a cake takes patience, talent, education, and desire. I have all four. The most fun right now is seeing how much better I get at it with each cake I decorate. I also love seeing the faces on my friends when I bring them a cake I've decorated. They ooh and aah appropriately. I always ask, in my best Paris Hilton voice, 'Do you love it????' They always say yes, because they don't want to see me cry.
I've finished my first 4 class course. I'm taking my second course now and the third will be the last. Then I can start charging for the cakes and making some money at it. Tonight's class was cancelled because of the snow and ice. So I stayed home with the kids and made mini cakes and mini cupcakes. It was fun and they loved them! We don't eat them though. Let's just say after 5 weeks of me decorating cakes we've all had our fill of cake. I take them to work and to the nursing home where I used to volunteer.
Enjoy the pictures! And remember, think of me when you want to celebrate  with a cake! I'll have a name as soon as I register it with the County Clerks office. 11月23日 High School Football PlayoffsBusy week again? Heck YES! Those Panthers won the Bi-District Championship! We're in our second week of H.S. Football Playoffs for 3-A schools, (or is it the third week? I've lost count). All I know is I get to drive the band bus again, yippeeeeeeeee! and Kyle gets to march at halftime again! Whoop Whoop!  We can rest in the summer.  The football fields they use for the playoffs are awesome. The marching band loves the soft, smooth grass and the level 'marching' field, without rocks! Saturday we're playing a team in San Antonio. It's at the second largest High School Stadium in Texas. Capacity 11,000. They have NeXTurf on the field, so no rocks! 11月3日 Kyle's 16! Sweeeeeeeet!
Kyle is 16. Oh my gosh, Kyle is 16. Was it 16 years ago that Dr. Nickola Rogers announced in the delivery room the most wonderful words I have ever heard, 'It's a girl!' ? Wow, 16 years. 16 years ago I gave birth to the most beautiful baby ever to be born. Dad said, 'Now Teresa, listen. You know Kyle is the most beautiful baby in the world, right?' Teresa: Yes Dad, I know. Dad: So now when people show you a picture of their baby and they say, 'isn't he/she the most beautiful baby you've ever seen? You'll know exactly what they mean and you can say 'Yes he/she is' knowing they're talking about all the other babies in the world, not yours, because you'll know in your heart that you have the most beautiful baby of all. That Dad is one smart man. Dad also told me I was very lucky to have a healthy baby. At the time I think I was too young to understand what he meant, thinking, 'Well why wouldn't she be healthy?' Now I know the fragility of life working with the people I do every day. The problems that could arise during the development of a fetus or during childbirth. I was 27 when Kyle was born and I read everything I could get my hands on in those 9 months. Books about 'the baby growing inside you', childbirth, the first days at home, how you'll feel, how the baby will feel and how the father will feel. There was so much to read. The one thing I couldn't find an answer to I asked Dr. Rogers the minute Kyle was naked and warm on my chest for the first time in her life, seconds after she was born. I asked, 'How does the baby go from living in water inside me to breathing outside of me?' She turned and looked at me celestially and spoke the answer I had been looking for. 'That, my dear, is the miracle of childbirth'. I was amazed. I felt Kyle's body melt into mine, my hands wrapped around her back, breathing as one and now two. Her body the exact temperature as mine for a moment. A moment in time that stood still for us. I didn't want to let her go, I still don't. Every day Kyle is evolving into an independent woman. From the second she was born I've been watching her grow, learn, unfold gradually, as a flower from a bud. Watching this child of mine grow has been the greatest joy I have ever known. Tears fall every time I watch her do something new and amazing. That is the question I am looking for an answer to now. Why does a Mother cry when she sees her child do something new and amazing? I got a phone call from my Father-in-law, Walter, the day after Kyle was born. I was still in the hospital. He said I will give you one gift that will last a lifetime for this first granddaughter of mine. I'm thinking, hmmm, a trust fund? a lifetime of pink clothes? I say, 'ok, what's that Pops?' He says, 'Read to her. Read to her all the time starting right now. Read the paper to her, read to her when she goes to bed. If she wants to hear the story again, read it again. As many times as she wants to hear it. Read to her when she wakes up, read the recipe you're making to her. Just read to her every chance you get. Signs, menus, magazines, the mail. Whatever you read, read it out loud to Kyle and I promise you will have the smartest little girl in the world'. How can you go wrong with the smartest, most beautiful girl in the world? 16 is sweet. 16 is Kyle. 16 is the number of years I have been blessed with knowing I did something right.
10月29日 Band, Soccer, HalloweenAnother busy weekend for all. Last night was the last home football game and the 7th and 8th grade bands got to march and play on the field at halftime with the High School band. It was a trip to see both my girls on the field at the same time. Yes tears were streaming. I didn't get any good pictures because of it.
I volunteered in the band concession stand all night (except for halftime), Cynthia covered for me so I could take pictures.
This morning Mason had a soccer game. Linda and Dad came to watch. Jim drove out for the game too. It was a good game and Mason's team won 2-1. Mason scored both goals for his team. He's an amazing player. The team has really learned a lot this year, mainly how to pass the ball.
Tonight Mason is going to a party. We're on our way to buy a present and Halloween costumes.
Next weekend is an away football game. I'll be driving the cheerleaders, drill team and color guard. It's a 2 & 1/2 hour drive. I love the away games, driving home late when all are sleepy and talking quietly. I love the responsibility of driving these kids home safely to Mom and Dad.
I've been thinking lately about going to college (famous line from Napolean Dynamite, 'and your Mom goes to college!' haha). I was thinking a nurse or PT (physical therapist) would be a cool job. The education would be paid for since I'm already employed at a High School. It's just finding the time. Then I think about how I will miss all the things my kids do in and out of school. I wouldn't get to see any more pep rallies at the High School. I'd miss driving the bus, my regular route and the band/cheerleaders to games. I wouldn't know my kids friends like I do now. The raise in pay wouldn't compare to the enjoyment I get from seeing my kids grow and change during these school years. It's priceless to me and I know when they're gone I will be thankful we struggled so much financially so that I can enjoy this time with them. There are just some things that you can't put a price on.
Teresa Marie 10月16日 Football fields are for Marching Bands!Another priceless Friday Night Halftime! The band looked beautiful. The Disney songs they play really take you back to when you were 8 years old and watching ABC's Wonderful World Of Disney on Sunday Nights. When I watch the band I can truly see Tinkerbell flitting about with her magic wand in the sky above Kyle while she plays her French Horn so sensuously and melodiously in the beginning of 'Wish Upon A Star'. I don't have a picture of Kyle playing that because there are always tears streaming down my face as I watch her. The girl works so hard and it shows in her music and in everything she does. Kyle was named Band Member of the Week Friday night. It's an honor that I think usually goes to a senior. She was surprised and excited when they announced her name at the Football game as they were marching off the field at halftime. She was at attention so she couldn't even crack a smile, but we were all cheering for her! Jim, Karlene, Mason, Drew, Nana, and Cynthia were there too. Saturday was the band competition. They got straight 1's! and a huge trophy! They danced and sang in the parking lot by all the buses with the other bands there who got 1's. I've never seen Kyle so happy and excited. She jumped around, hooted and hollered, and had a great time with her friends. It's the first time since she was 2 that I've seen her express herself in that way. It was refreshing. I can't believe she will be 16 on Thursday. She deserves all good things that come her way. I drove the band bus last night, thank God! It is one of the great pleasures of my life right now. I love those kids! I love the bus! I love the quiet concentration they have on the way to the contest and the wild raucous singing and laughing on the way home after they have performed so wonderfully. Let me set the scene for you....It's almost midnight, we're on our way home, I'm driving the bus on a dark, dimly lit highway in Texas, it'll be 2 hours until we pull into the High School parking lot, I'm 3rd in line of our 'band bus convoy', I'm way past tired because I've been up since 4:45a.m., driven my morning bus route, worked all day in a very physical manner with violent, handicapped, mentally challenged High School students, driven my afternoon bus route from 3 - 5, drive the band to the competition, then I look at the faces of the band students after their amazing performance as they get on the bus to go home and these kids just pump new life into anyone within earshot.(can you say 'run-on sentence'?) They are smart, exciting, witty, and so creative. Just when you think you've heard it all they come up with something funny or shocking that just makes you laugh. I look at them in the mirror above the bus drivers seat, (when I flip on the dome lights to do a 'hand check') and I see these fresh young faces that have so much life in them, so much promise and so much love for learning and life and love for each other. What a wonderful group to be a part of in my life. I am truly blessed to be a small part of their world as their bus driver. It's the greatest gig in the world! And they pay me to do it!!? Wow. So if you see me smiling and crying at the same time I probably just saw my daughter playing in the band.
10月9日 Cynthia and the HospitalWe had a big scare last week. I got a call from the Intermediate school nurse, Sue, and when she calls it usually means Mason is ill but this time it was Cynthia. She said, 'Marie, I have Cynthia here in the office and she's having chest pains. I just called 911, are you on your way???????' I said 'yes!' and I flew out of the school telling the receptionist there was an emergency at the Intermediate and I'd be over there. I ran to my car in the employee parking lot. When I got in I put the key in the ignition and heard this horrible noise. It was me breathing. It sounded like a sick seal. I was having an asthma attack. I thought, oh great, you won't be any good to anyone if you pass out right here. I calmed myself down, remembering my calming techniques during childbirth, and I was ok. I drove to the Intermediate, it takes about 3 minutes at the most. It's just 3 blocks away. I walked in. I had to make myself walk. I wanted to run but I didn't want to startle anyone by running. Lucy at the desk just looked at me and pointed towards the nurses office. I opened the door and the Principle was there and hugged me, the nurse thanked me for coming and hugged me and I was shaking. I just wanted to see Cynthia. There were 4 EMT/firefighters standing and kneeling in front of Cynthia. One woman and 3 men, with all their gear. I slipped between them and sat by Cynthia's side on the nurses bed. She was crying, trying not to, and she had oxygen tubes in her nostrils and an IV in her hand. I put my arm around her and held her hand. When she saw me she seemed to get upset but then I touched her chin with my fingertips, turning her eyes back to mine and said 'I'm here, it'll be ok....just do everything they say, they'll take good care of you.' She needed reassuring that the kids would get home. The nurse is their bus driver and she said she'd make sure all 3 got on the bus and got home safely. The Principal said she'd call my Principal at the High School and explain that I was going to the hospital with Cynthia, and the receptionist said she would call the bus barn to have someone else drive my bus.
The ambulance pulled up right after I got there. I moved some chairs so they could get in with the stretcher. When they were taking care of Cynthia I went to her classroom (she didn't have any students at the time, it was 10:00am) and I turned off her computer and grabbed her keys and purse. I walked to Mason's room and told him what was going on and that he was to take the bus home. I told him I'd be with Cynthia at the hospital and if I wasn't home at 4 when he got there with the girls I'd call from the hospital. I walked out behind Cynthia with the ISD Police officer and the principal and nurse. The Principal offered to drive me, then she offered to ride with me. I declined, they were all so sweet and caring. I looked at Cynthia in the back of the ambulance and told her I'd be at the hospital when she got there, and she smiled at me and winked....then I knew everything was going to be fine. The police officer squeezed my hand and said take care of her, she's one of my favorites, I said she's one of mine too, and with that I got in my car and proceeded to follow the ambulance the 15 miles down the highway to the hospital. That is the longest drive, the loneliest drive ever. To be behind an ambulance with a loved one inside, not knowing what will happen is awfully scarey. I felt helpless.
I pulled up to the emergency room door right with the ambulance. I parked and walked to the back of the ambulance as they opened the doors. Cynthia was smiling so I felt better, she looked so much better. She had color back in her face. I was dressed in my scrubs for work so I think the hospital staff thought I was a nurse. I walked in the emergency room with everyone and just watched over Cynthia, making sure she was as comfortable as possible. They put her in a bed and a nurse was there. I took Cynthia's watch and school I.D. clip. I gave the ambulance tech her insurance information and then when Cynthia was with the nurse I went to the front desk to sign some papers. It reminded me of a book we just read where a woman was admitted and her lover signed some papers and the doctor talked to her and thought she was the woman's daughter.
I sat opposite a woman at the desk. She was about 65 years old. She said, 'So you are Cynthia's daughter?'
I sat up straight, smiling, I said proudly,' No, I'm her partner.' She looked at me over her glasses, smiled, and said, 'oh!' (with a little knowing giggle). It was sort of cute.
Cynthia had blood tests, an EKG, a chest x-ray. The nurse wheeled her to the bathroom in the wheelchair. Her name was Janice. She was very nice.
So it turned out that what Cynthia had was an irritated esophogous from stomach acid. The swelling was pushing against the heart and it felt like a heart attack. She needs to have a stress test from her regular doctor soon. They sent us home and we were home when the kids got home from school.
Whew! what an ordeal. Thank God she's ok. 8月22日 Mister Rogers IIThere are three ways to ultimate success:
The first way is be kind.
The second way is to be kind.
The third way is to be kind.
I don't think anyone can grow unless he's
loved exactly as he is now, appreciated for
what he is rather than what he will be.
Life's Journeys According to Mister Rogers; 2005
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PINK! 16 is pink, October is pink. Pink is pretty. Kyle is pink.|
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