It's 5 O'clock somewhere....

….and I don’t mean 5 PM! This morning I hit the wall. The last couple of weeks have been great, I wake up around 4:25 am about 5 minutes before my alarm goes off, hop out of bed, grab coffee, and head to the gym, but this morning I was NOT so cheerful. I heard my alarm at 4:30, which annoyed me, but to make it worse Chris nudged me and said, “Your alarm is going off.” To which I replied, “I HEARD it!” , but it was not in a loving, thank-you-for-the-sweet-reminder kind of way. Then he promptly rolled over and went back to sleep. Brat! I wanted to shove him off his side of the bed and tap dance on his head.


Did I mention I’ve never really been a morning person? I thought I was changing, but it’s hard to fight 44 years of training. Oh, and I was freezing because he had hogged all the covers which were in a pile on the floor on HIS side of the bed. Maybe he wasn’t really asleep, maybe he was just playing possum because he knew I was cranky???? Okay, I was more than a little cranky and the sinus headache didn’t help. I almost decided to skip the 5 am workout this morning, but I just refilled the coffee mug, changed into the workout clothes, and dragged myself out the door. It was raining, too. Lovely! A rainy day; the best kind morning to stay home and sleep. Grumble, grumble, grumble!

In spite of a headache, I did manage a little while on the elliptical, bicycle, and 30 minutes of circuit training, but this morning my heart (or head….and body) were just not in it, but I’ve always heard the first time you miss it just gets easier from there, so I did it. I guess I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, because there were only 3 of us rather than the 8 or 9 who are usually there before daylight…I think we should get a gold star…or cheesecake…
Usually working out makes me feel better, but this morning was a different story. I got home before Chris left, and I flopped across the bed. I think he knew I was cranky because he was being very nice to me. It made me feel guilty so I confessed that I wanted to tap dance on his head when he mentioned the alarm. He laughed…he didn’t even remember hearing the alarm or talking to me. Sound sleepers really annoy me, too.

Anyway, it’s noon and I think my students know something’s up because they’re being very good today….gasp! As for the mood, it’s still gray like the sky outside, I think I’ve even had the occasional rumble of thunder (7th grade boys, ‘nuff said); there may even be lightning before the day is over, too. (I have a whole class of boys 7th hour) I thought about going back for Zumba at 6 tonight, but I think I may just go back to bed instead…..

Oh well, tomorrow is yoga at 5 am and I’ll be in a better mood. I like yoga….I don’t like to sweat!

The Love Dare….

Every marriage goes through rough patches. Let’s face it, we are human, times are stressful, and we tend to take out our anger and frustrations on those we love most. I wish there was some magic doorway we could install at home that would take away all the negative thoughts and feelings when you walked through…kind of like the UV chambers computer manufacturing companies use get create dust-free/static-free work areas. But there isn’t a magic door, so we have to consciously decide to change our attitudes (Yeah, where’s that easy button when you need it?!). I really have to work on this concept; I’m terrible at bringing my attitude home from school with me. If I’ve had a rotten day, my students were rotten, things didn’t get finished, someone pulled a stupid stunt, etc., I take it out on the kids, then the dog, then Chris….you see where this is going. I have to learn to leave my grouchy self at school. I don’t want my family to bear the brunt of a rotten day; they are the ones who make the day brighter…. most of the time.
So you’re probably asking, “Where does this Love Dare thing come in?” Right here, right now. I followed a link to another link, to another link, to a blog (God’s idea, had to be- I wouldn’t have found it on my own,) with a Love Dare challenge, (You can find that link

here….thank me later.)
and I have decided to take that challenge. There’s an old saying that if you do something for two weeks it becomes a habit (it does, I started exercising regularly in November, and now I feel yucky if I don’t…more on that later), so I’m thinking that if I take this Love Dare two week challenge (if you start today), leaving my yucky attitude behind and entering my home with a positive, happy outlook should become a habit.
Are you in? I already have my reward for the end of the dare even before I decided to take it (God’s idea, once again…He knows these things, trust me….trust Him), my sweet hubby has booked us 2 nights at a cabin at Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, MO….oh, how I love that man of mine! So take the Dare and reward yourself afterward, it will be worth it. Not only do I expect it to bring the hubs and I even closer, I expect it to make our home a happier place, (Think about it, a happy mamma + happy hubs = happy kids which = a happy home) and if I gain nothing but a more God focused attitude, then it was a resounding success…it’s a win/win situation.

**One more thing, I made a handout of all the days, email me if you’d like one. (I know, it’s a teacher thing, I’m a sucker for a good handout.)

Bacon Grease

Is it a southern thing, or does everyone have a jar or can of bacon grease? 
Casey asked "Mom, why do you keep bacon grease?"  My answer, "Beause I need it?"
I started thinking about the little things we pick up from other generations, like keeping bacon grease.  I know Mom has a jar...well, I think she has a pretty can to keep it in, and I know my grandmother's kept it.  It's one of those kitchen essentials...kind of like an iron skillet.  It's one of the first things I started keeping when I first had my own home.  It's a tradition...handed down from generation to generation.

So many things are passed down to younger generations...like how to fold towels.  I always remember Mom folding them in thirds, so I do, too.  Why does it bug me when they aren't folded in thirds?  I guess it's just one of those things that is ingrained into my personality. (I wish I had that neat-freak gene like Mom)

There is another trait that has been bequeathed to me from older generations, faith.  I hope I continue to to learn from Mom, and from my grandmothers....lessons in faith.  Always rely on God in any situation.  I can still hear my Mama (pronounced mammaw...it's southern word for grandma :) Hopper's words, "Honey, God won't put on you more than you can handle."  She lived that every day of her life.  She was injured in a car accident in 1940 and was not able to walk after that.  She was always full of life, and so much fun, and she would make us doll clothes and sew them onto the doll because she did not like to see naked baby dolls!  She had every right to feel sorry for herself, but she didn't, and she never complained.  I still miss her and would love for her to have know both my boys, she thought Casey was something special.

Oh, and just a little poll, do you keep bacon grease?  I'd love to know....just because I like to know about strange things like that.