Random Tuesday Thoughts (and a call for help)

Bug wore big boy underwear for the first time yesterday. I was so happy to find out that there were no accidents during the day and that he was still wearing the same dry undies when I returned from work. Of course, after my arrival he was playing with his buddy in our backyard and had an accident…but all in all a good first day. (Today he specifically requested “Cowboy and Rope” pull-ups…)

Vacation is one month from today!

Last week a neighbor sent an email to the neighborhood offering a free 42” TV (her sister is moving and not taking it with her)…and we got it! I’m so excited because we’ve been talking about getting a TV for our living room but were procrastinating--and it somehow paid off this time. We rearranged the furniture and bought a TV stand over the weekend. Both the cable guy and the TV stand are coming on Friday so we should be able to become couch potatoes in a new room soon!

Why does spellcheck in blogger think that contractions are wrong? I'm I am not as formal as blogger thinks I should be.

Since this is Bug’s first year at preschool, I’m new to teacher gifts. What is the price range? What do you usually give? There’s one aide in his class and an administrative assistant for the school that I think should also receive gifts. I’m guessing the head of the school doesn’t receive a gift…or am I wrong about that? Any tips or ideas are very welcome/needed. Thanks!

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Etiquette...Fretiquette

I'm not really fretting over this but I am curious to hear your thoughts. Here's the deal...

We received a high school graduation invitation from the son of one of my high school classmates. They live halfway across the country so obviously they don't think/expect we would attend. She (graduate’s mom) and I were friends in high school but never really stayed in touch through the years other than occasionally seeing one another if we were both back in our hometown. We have a nice time when we see each other but never make plans beyond that.

She and I saw each other at our reunion four years ago. Since then I've bumped into her once when I was back visiting my mom. She and her family happened to be back at the same time. We saw each other in the mall food court away from our hometown so it wasn’t a planned get together.

There was a time when we exchanged holiday cards but in the last card I received (a few years ago) she said she was going to send cards every other year...and maybe she does but we didn't make the short list. I used to send her birthday cards but now usually email her on her birthday. It's just one of those things I remember so I acknowledge it.

So I was surprised to get the invitation out of the blue. Was the invitation sent as a friendly, “hey look my oldest son is graduating and wanted to share the news!”? The return address label is the graduate's name not my friend’s name.


Here’s my question…do we send a gift? If I kept in touch with the mom or had some connection to the family or even knew this kid's name prior to receiving the invitation, I wouldn't think twice about sending a gift. Donnie thinks we send a card and acknowledge the graduation...the graduate doesn't know us so he wouldn't expect a gift. I feel like I'm hearing my mom's voice telling me we're obligated to send a gift of some sort because we received the invitation (a Target gift card or something since we know NOTHING of this kid or what his post high school plans are). What do you think? Would you send a card, small gift (gift card or something else--if something else--what) or simply pretend the invitation never made it and pull out your inner Sandra Bullock and act shocked at the next reunion that one of her children has graduated high school? (Just kidding...)

My plan allowed practically begged for procrastination

Pathetic or brilliant? (Wait, don't answer that...)

Somehow I knew that I wouldn't be organized this year to get cards out before Hanukkah or Christmas so I opted for New Year's cards. It seemed like such a good idea and a simple one.

I could write cards at my leisure anytime in the month (of course that would also mean that I had ordered them early enough, ahem). Unfortunately, I must have placed the order the same day as half of the world because the cards took longer than I expected and I didn't receive them prior to our big snowstorm. That would have been perfect...a nice cup of hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, a holiday movie and a stack of cards...instead I helped shovel and shovel and shovel.

All I needed to do was write them and mail them prior to--oh, say--today. Well, most of them made it in the mail but I missed the mailman this morning (since when does he come in the morning?!) so I hope our happy new year greetings reach their destinations by December 31 at midnight. (Just in time for me to come up with a resolution for next holiday season...)