Have You Ever...

Have you ever stepped out of the shower, dried off and realized you still have the shampoo in your hair? That was me this morning...I hope this wasn't an indication of what today will be like...Happy Thursday!

Love a Good Bargain...

I know this probably won't interest anyone but me...or perhaps my mother, who has taught me to love finding a good bargain, but I have to brag on the best steal ever...well at least for me...still a novice bargain shopper. I wanted a lamp for the table beside the fireplace, so I went shopping on Saturday, and came across this little diddy! The tag said it had been marked down to $12.99, and I thought, "BINGO!" When I took it up to the counter, the saleswoman scanned the tag...and the register said $8.45....Don't be jealous, ladies...

My Father-in-law...

Ryan and I are so proud of his father, Ed, for being chosen to fill the much noted position of President of Partech, Inc., in New Hartford, New York. His past accomplishments with other companies are what prompted Partech to pursue Ed and his expertise. We miss him already, but we couldn't be happier for him! He deserves all the recognition he is receiving!

I have included a portion of the press release that went out today regarding his appointment:

PAR Technology Corporation Announces New Management Appointments

Edwin Soladay Appointed President of Partech, Inc.; Gregory T. Cortese Named Executive Vice President, PAR Technology Corporation

* Tuesday January 6, 2009, 4:18 pm EST

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION (NYSE:PTC - News)

PAR Technology Corporation announced today the appointment of A. Edwin Soladay as President of ParTech, Inc., the Company’s largest wholly owned subsidiary and a leading provider of I/T solutions to the hospitality industry. In this role, Mr. Soladay will be responsible for expanding the Company’s restaurant technology business by growing capability in the U.S. and international markets. Mr. Soladay comes to PAR from Fujitsu Transaction Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, where he served as Chief Operating Officer. Fujitsu Transaction Solutions is a “solutions” company focused on the Retail POS market. The solutions include application software, point-of-sale hardware technology, self-service systems and multi-vendor lifecycle services.


Prior to joining Fujitsu, Soladay served as President of CRS Retail Systems, a large software company specializing in POS, back office and business intelligence software for the Retail market. CRS systems are installed in more than 20,000 retail outlets in over 30 countries.

Mr. Soladay brings to PAR extensive experience in the operation of technology companies engaged in the creation, deployment and support of complex solutions comprised of enterprise software, hardware and services.

Mr. Soladay is a native of New Mexico and graduated from St. Michael’s University in Santa Fe with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Business. His appointment is effective immediately.


We are so proud of you!!!

Award!

Thank you so much, Britney, for the award and the compliments! As many of you know, Britney's son, Trysten, is my stepson, and boy....have we come a long way!!!

The rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

And, I award:

Here's the hard part...since I am so new, I don't follow the vast number of blogs many of you do, therefore all of the bloggers I would award...have already been recognized! Oh well...everyone likes a pat on the back, so I'll award you again...No need to follow the rules and award again! I just want you to know I love your blog!

1. Casey: so inspired by her blog, love reading about her family and their adventures...after "Big Carter" came and visited us, my "Little Carter" thinks he's his stepcousin!
2. Michelle: sweet teacher/work friend, love her and love reading about her experiences while expecting her first baby!
3. Britney: love reading about the "other half" of Trysten's life...I always say he's such a lucky little boy!
4. The Cheatham Chat: I've been "blog stalking" some of Casey's "peeps", and Heather...sorry, but you're one of them! She has the most beautiful, loving family! The funny thing is that we probably don't live that far away from each other!
5. Coco's Cuckoo World : Another one of Casey's peeps! Sorry, Courtney...I am trying not to be a stalker anymore! I absolutely love reading your blog! Always entertaining!

Thank you to all of you for making my daily life just a little brighter every day!

Things I Love...

More random thoughts from me. I was thinking about things while I was drying my hair...I do that a lot, and I decided to make a list of things I love. Why...because it makes me feel good! =) Feel free to chime in with the things you love...I would love that!

I love...

- the smell of coffee in the morning
- when I find a good bargain
- listening to Carter sing "Don'tcha wish your girlfriend was hot like me!?"
- finding sweet notes from my hubby left for me to discover
- when my parents tell me they're proud of me...We never stop being their children...
- helping Austin write a poem for his "girlfriend"...this was last night..."Mom, what rhymes with pretty?"...shows his sweet little heart
- having a big family
- reading a good book...currently reading my favorite author's new one: Testimony by Anita Shreve
- lazy days around the house
- when one of my students tells me they missed me over the break =)
- buying new school supplies at the beginning of the school year....weird...I know
- watching Preston nervously introduce himself for the daily announcements in front of the whole school
- watching all 4 boys jumping on the trampoline together
- this...=)

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Casey, so here it goes...

8 things I did today:
1) took the kids to school
2) went to work
3) went to Hobby Lobby...shocker
4) ate a small ice cream cone from McDonald's
5) researched the Republican party on the Internet...I'm such a nerd, but Casey prompted it!
6) burned the Waking Norman CD to my ipod
7) colored a picture with Preston using his Color Splitz pens
8) helped Carter write a Christmas list for next year on a long piece of toilet paper...Hey...his idea...

8 favorite restaurants:
1) Naan (Sushi)...Ryan and I went there on our first date =)
2) Terillis
3) Rick's Steakhouse
4) Kobe
5) Gloria's
5) Pei Wei
6) Snuffer's cheeseburgers
7) Whataburger...but only to get their ketchup! Do they not have the best ketchup ever or what!?
8) Celebrity Bakery...2 words...strawberry cake

8 shows that I watch:
1) CSI
2) Snapped
3) The Office
4) My Brother Earl
5) Nanny 911 reruns
6) Intervention
7) Law & Order SVU
8) Real Housewives

8 things I wish for:
1) the economy to improve
2) all of our boys to stay healthy and to value themselves
3) the relationship between the Solawatts to continue to grow and strengthen
4) Ryan and I to be able to sneak away for a vacation without the kids
5) to be whatever my kids need whenever they need it
6) spend more time with my parents
7) my boys not to be influenced by "negativity"
8) Ryan's and my marriage to continue to be blessed

8 things I look forward to:
1) going to the lake house with the kids this summer
2) Florida with my ENTIRE family this summer
3) alone time with my hubby every other weekend
4) having all the boys together every other weekend
5) visiting Ed and Carol in New York soon
6) coming home at the end of the day
7) a glass of wine when I need one
8) days when I feel skinny...We all have days when we feel skinnier than the day before!

And...I don't know HOW to tag yet!

Randomness...

I don't know about you, but I have the most random, disconnected thoughts and questions run through my mind at various moments throughout the day for no apparent reason...please tell me I am not the only one...so I guess it's not unusual for kids to as well, but the difference is they actually verbalize their thoughts for all to hear. They don't worry what people will think of them...Can you imagine the freedom!? Actually, it's probably a blessing considering our thoughts are not always necessarily "friendly" or "appropriate" for the situation. There is definitely some merit in the saying, "Just because you think it, doesn't mean you need to say it!" The reason for this post of randomness came from listening to Carter ask me questions or say things that completely crack me up...For instance, the other day he asked me some questions about God...

Carter: Mom how do you talk to God?

Me: Well, when we say our prayers we are talking to him.

Carter: Can you call him like you called Santa?

Me: No, I can't call God on the phone.

Carter: Why? You don't have his phone number?

* This illustrates just how high up on the ladder Carter holds Santa!


I remember my mother telling my siblings and I about a time when we were at Kmart in the toothpaste/toothbrush aisle, and there was a woman stocking up on toothpaste next to us. I guess my brother...3 or 4 at the time...thought she was taking so much that there wouldn't be any left for us, so he turned to her, and said out loud, without any hesitation, "Butt head lady!" My poor mother...

When Austin was little and you actually went to Blockbuster to rent movies, I had taken him to rent a movie...on a video cassette tape...and I mentioned that I was going to get one too, and I called it an "adult movie" because he wasn't allowed to watch it. You can see where this is going...So we get our movies, go up to the counter, he gives his selection to the guy at the register, I place mine on his, and Austin says, "My mom and dad like to watch adult movies together!" Oh my...

Sometimes randomness is greatness!

What I Would Like To Do...

Carter and I were in our usual spots...me on the computer and Carter, immersed in a Dora game...NickJr.com...his current favorite...on the laptop next to me...and Austin walked in to talk to me about something. I had to snap a quick pic...his looks are changing so much. What I would like to do is wrap him up, put him in a little box and keep him there until he's...I don't know....21?!

Love this kid...

Seriously...

One of the things I remember from my teaching courses in college was if the students are engaging in SSR....Sustained Silent Reading...then we should join in and read as well, and if they are writing, then we should do so too....therefore, since my students are writing, I will appropriately utilize this opportunity to vent....let it all out...release my anixety...pout...On the way to drop Carter off at preschool this morning, I am preparing myself for the drama I am assuming will unfold when I walk him into his classroom due to the fact he hasn't been in over 2 weeks. As we're pulling up, Carter says, "Oh, man! Seriously...are you kidding me! Logan isn't here yet, and I miss Logan. It takes him forever to get dressed, so I know he won't be here today!" Okay...he's 4...I love it, and I am laughing to myself. I open my door to get out, and Carter says, "No, Mom! I can walk myself in!" What....Did I hear him correctly? He doesn't NEED me!? I told him that I had to walk him in the front door...so I did...and he turned around and said, "Okay, you can go now. Love you."

I realize my boys are getting older, but Carter is only 4...Where have all the years gone? In 3.5 years, Austin will get a driver's licence, in 5.5 years he'll be leaving for college...Okay...I have to stop there...Wow...I thought you were supposed to feel better when you let it all hang out...I think I feel worse...

Only Star Wars...

Only Star Wars could so capture the complete attention of these little boys...So glad they're home...