Our Lives & A Rant

Should I rant first?  Hmmm . . .  I think I'll do it last or I might forget to update about our life.  lol

The play is over.  Yay!  But even though it is over, I have still been busy, busy, busy!  I thought summer was full of nothing!  Yea right.

I started working from home last Wednesday as an SEO content writer.  Don't know what that is?  I didn't either.  I work as an independent contractor for eLocal Listings and write 250 to 200 words for a company's profile.  But . . . what I write has to be written a certain way in order for Google, Yahoo, etc. to include them in their searches.  That is about what I understand.  And I get paid $3.00 for 250 words and $2.50 for 200 words.  I've gotten my time down to where I am making $12.50 an hour.  Hopefully I can get faster.

I'm still working on getting faster and am trying to get set on my work hours.  Today, I worked while the kids were napping (and they still are. :) and then I will work again when they go to bed after 7:00 pm.  For now, I am only going to work Monday through Thursday so I can be work free and spend time on the house and with family on the weekends.  Yay!  Date nights!

DISNEYLAND next week!  We are too excited to take the kids for their first time and even more so that their Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Steve will be there with them.  It's a magical place after all. :)

Okay, now the RANT:

A little awhile ago, someone made this comment:

"I was too busy to have postpartum depression."

REALLY???!!!  You think I wasn't busy with a newborn????  I just sat down and did nothing and was like, "Bring on the depression!  Yay!"

I was VERY nice during the conversation, but the more I thought about it later (and obviously even now), I got irked.

Postpartum depression is NOT a choice.  I almost killed myself for crying out loud.  Do you think I wanted to feel and be that way?!

Honestly, this is the first person I have come across that has been so ignorant and I'm grateful that I haven't had more experiences like this one.  I feel so sorry for women that don't have support and understanding from their friends and family.  I have been blessed with amazing support.  I think I'd go bonkers if I had to deal with those kind of comments all the time. 

Awareness people.  Awareness.

Child Wrangling

For the past week (and for some of next week too), I have taken on the role of "child wrangler" to 18 children performers.  I kind of think of myself as "Mom" to the whole children cast and even to some of the grown ones.

Along with watching the kids in the green room, I also do make-up and dress kids in costumes.  The big part of child wrangling is sending them out all ready when it is their part.  I think I may have sent a few out too late last night.  Oops.

And of course, there is food that needs to be set out and then cleaned up.  That is my least favorite part.

The director didn't  have time to work and practice with the kids on one of their scenes, so I have been working with the kids on that too.  Their scene kept getting changed and the poor kids were getting so confused.  Now they've finally got it!

I've also been sewing.  Cinderella was using a modern apron from "The Cupcakery" for her cleaning apron, so I sewed one for her yesterday.  It was hard to sew something and not make it look perfect.  I even had to cut the bottom to give it a torn look.  But, I think, it looks great.

Today, I will be sewing the Fairy Godmother's wand bag.  It's going to be a little more complicated because of the materials, but I hope it all comes together.  I've never sewn with taffeta and organza.  Good thing I have my mom helping out!

Well, I'm sure you'd rather look at pictures instead of read all about it, so here you go!

The cast, crew and orchestra all meet at 5:00 pm for a potluck dinner.

A few of the kids I am with every night.

Good thing there is a TV or I'd go insane.

Some of the adults getting ready in the dressing room.

The Director.

It's been really fun watching him in action.

The Costume Designer.

She is also the director's wife and is seven months pregnant!

The Prince getting his nightly dose of theater make-up applied.

Cinderella!

I love her.  And she is sporting my awesome apron!

Clean up at the end of the night.

I'm so thankful for the great kids that help out although I did have to pay one of them 50 cents.  Hmm. . .

At the end of each night, the cast goes out into the lobby to meet with the audience, take pictures, give signatures, etc.  I couldn't get Daniel to keep on his mouse costume last night, but when he saw the kids taking pictures with Cinderella and the Prince, he had to have one too!  I think it is funny because he sees them backstage every night!  I'll have to try and get another pictures with him in his costume.

I had to snap a picture with these three ladies for two reasons:

1.  They are wicked step sisters and wicked step mother and they are hilarious!  Some of their scenes are my favorite.

2.  The one on the far right is my sister's good friend and let us know about the play this year so we could be involved!

And this is what my front room looks like from sewing for the play.

Please don't come and visit me right now. ;)

I've had so much fun being involved.  I am definitely trying out for a part in the play next year.

I love the theater!

Kindergarten Celebration

I should have posted this on the last post, but I just barely got the pictures from another mom. 

Yes, the batteries in my camera died so I didn't get ANY pictures of Daniel's kindergarten graduation.

Mom of the Year I tell ya.

Thanks to another mom for the memories!

End of the School Year

I can't believe it has been a month since our last family update!

Sorry if any of you were waiting in suspense (I'm sure none of you really were, but I like to pretend I am important to everyone.  It's fun, you should try it sometime.)

A few weeks ago, Uncle Scott (not really an uncle, but we claim him as one) stopped by on his way home from picking up his new, awesome motorcycle.

Since I grew up with my dad taking me for rides, I begged (really I just asked) him to take Daniel for a ride.

Daniel was pretty freaked out at first, but then he had fun.

Which brings me to this. . .

I took my nieces and Daniel to Circus Circus Adventuredome.  My nieces had group ticket rates as part of their virtual academy home school and needed someone to take them.  It just happened to be right after Daniel's kindergarten graduation, so we went and celebrated.

Daniel gets motion sickness on rides.  Uggg.

We are going to Disneyland next month and I was picturing in my mind all the fun I would have taking him on Splash Mountain, Star Tours, Indian Jones and all those other great rides.  The kid is tall, so he can ride any of them.  But now he won't be able to. :( :( :(

I, on the other hand, LOVE rides and went on every single one with my nieces (while one stayed with Daniel) and had so much fun.  I can hardly wait for Disneyland.  I only wish Daniel could share in my fun.  But I know he'll like the kiddie rides.

Get ready Grandma and Grandpa!

Yesterday was the end of the year class party I was in charge of . . .  and I was so nervous I couldn't even sleep the night before.  The stress and nerves were all for nothing because it went great!

I am just so thankful Lark and Christine (two other moms) helped me out as much as the did.  Pretty much I just had the "in charge" title and we all did everything.

The theme was "Kinder Garden- All Grown Up"

We started with three stations.

1.  Making a file folder game with bugs, stepping stones and dice. 

2.  Making pinwheels

3.  Making flowers from egg cartons.

Then we went outside so the kids could look for real bugs with their magnifying glasses, which they took home to decorate because we ran out of time.  Then they searched for fake bugs in the rice table for their file folder game.

After that fun, we played a water relay game.  It was so fun to watch them.  Coral even had to get involved at the end!

We finished with eating.  Always a good choice.

I even made sandwiches in the shapes of flowers & butterflies.  Thanks for helping Mom.

I am going to miss those kids.  I was in there so much volunteering.  I got to know each one of them personally and felt like a mom to them.  I hope some of them end up in Daniel's class next year.

I never thought I'd be sad Kindergarten was over.  But I won't miss the 2 1/2 hours of school.  Too short.

Lark and I put together this gift for Mrs. Borgos.

It turned out super cute!

It says, "Thanks for Helping Us Grow."

Thanks Lark!  You saved my sanity so many time- even throughout the school year.

And now off to pick up Daniel from his last day of school, which was only 1 1/2 hours today.

Weird.