Back To School in Atlanta

Tuesday, August 11th:
The second day of school was better than the first! The morning bus eventually came, 45 minutes late, but 3/4 of our away-from-homers (including DH to work) were on time today! I am enjoying a fresh bagel and my second cup of coffee.

I am finishing SHADOW COUNTRY by Peter Matthiessen for Midtown Book Group @ Barnes & Noble/GA Tech tomorrow. Also working on Rebel Review/Contest for GIRLS LIKE US this week.

Okay, I lied...or maybe I was just too optimistic: I got nothing done today. Well, except the momx3 back-to-school thing, so there's that.

Wednesday, August 12th:
On the third day back to school, all was relatively calm. The Mom finally relaxed a bit and looked forward to getting something done today...

Illegal Right on Red in Atlanta = $194.40 (the ticket is finally online). I get to go to Traffic Court in two weeks - yay! Any success/horror stories?
[Update Monday, August 17th: Grumpy start Monday, but I'm about to be over it - paid traffic ticket online rather than go to court: My $200 contribution to City of Atlanta.]

Friday, August 14th:
TGIF funny: 9yo *really* likes new camo-pattern undies. Discovered he's been wearing same pair 3 days - others in pack of 4 "too boring"
Note to self: pick up another package of Hanes Boys Boxer Briefs M/M with the cool camoflage pattern so the child wears clean unders daily...

#NASCAR - Childcare offered & accepted (duh!) - Hubby & I are going to the Labor Day Weekend Sprint Cup Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway!!! Woo hoo!

Other than that, nothing going on today: cleaning for Paul McCartney (the concert at Piedmont Park, across the street!) - friends coming in.
The world is a-flutter with helicopters all around Piedmont Park. I think they are testing sound over at the *10-story high* stage setup!
It is noisy out here on my zen balcony garden today - trying to meditate, but this is urban living! They are definitely testing sound for concert: loud & clear! ;-)

Friday, August 15th:
It is pouring with thunder & lightning on Paul McCartney concert at Piedmont Park...Sir Paul still singing. "Let it be, let it be..."

First Day of School...on Twitter

Yes, I think I do have a Twitter obsession, but it's fun. Quick Twitter-recap first day back to school for 9yo ADHD Phenom (4th grade), 12yo Drama Queen (7th grade) and 14yo Puberty Angst Boy (9th grade). I'm a high school mom now - that seems just so wrong! And did you notice? I've got three kids in three different schools: elementary, middle and high school, too! Not that I'm complaining or anything, but it is going to be an interesting year...

Monday, August 10, 2009:
11:17 AM Ahhh...Mom's New Year! 2hrs late - elem bus never showed up, entire schedule backed up, evrybdy late, but, finally...it has begun!

11:21 AM It's just me & Mocha-the-dog for the next 4hrs...until, hopefully, PM bus does show up w/my baby. I don't even know where to start...mess!

11:26 AM - Oh, the rain-postponed #NASCAR Race at Watkin's Glen is about to start! Go @jpmontoya Target #42! Following race on Twitter @NASCARSays

11:43 AM - Completely cut off from technology in my own home: without kids, I don't know how to make tv/dvr work! It's stuck on the Wii. TG for iPhone.

12:36 PM - #NASCAR race has begun & just got email from teacher: 9yo ADHD Phenom yanked out a loose tooth at lunch (his own, thank god)! Sofar, sogood.

1:24 PM - #NASCAR Hubby just talked me thru via phone to get TV on & set DVR to record race, almost 1/2way. Tried not to see - Harvick out already?!

1:40 PM - Have had 2 Krispy Kreme donuts - w/sprinkles! - to help first day BTS. Buzzin 2 explode now. Had 2 eat 2nd to save children - KK not4kids!

2:01 PM - Here's me, working off donut buzz! Rebel Review & CONTEST this week: GIRLS LIKE US by Sheila Weller. Great rock&roll bio...#books
2:11 PM - #books - GIRLS LIKE US: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon -- and the Journey of a Generation by Sheila Weller.

3:06 PM - Oh good lord, final minutes of the #NASCAR race...time to go meet the school bus! Going to Twitterific on iPhone--
3:27 PM - Waiting at the elem schoolbus stop, first day of school. It is v. HOT. Can't wait to hear about 1st day of 4th grade! & 7th! & 9th!
3:46 PM - Ack! Elem school bus broke down - had to go pick up at school. Lots of confusion 1st day - brand-new school #AtlantaPublicSchools

4:50 PM - Still missing our new high school student, but I'm sure he'll come ambling home anytime now. 7th grade (12yo Drama Queen) is AWESOME!

Final Thought, which seems so appropriate to kinda-stressful first day of school - and WORK, for Mom (although, honestly, I accomplished almost nothing):

Never caught this! RT @carlawhite RT @kandaka_long: "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!" ~ Audrey Hepburn

Camp Mommy 2009 - Final Week Recap on Twitter

Sat., Aug. 1:
1) Cool! Just ordered for 9yo Phenom/RT @bargainhntngmom: 145 Personalized Back to School Value Pack $19.95 w/FREE Shipping:http://bit.ly/Ew4vn
2) I don't think the 7th or 9th grader will go for it (see last Tweet), but 4th grader will be jazzed to have his name on stuff-back2school!

3) I am missing out on GA Sales Tax Holiday this wknd, but gladly pay 7% premium to avoid mob-shopping. Holding out 4 25%+ sales *after* STH!!

Mon., Aug. 3:
1) Rough start for Monday AM, last week of summer vacation. Busy, busy, busy To Do at odds w/strong desire to just enjoy last precious week...

2) NASCAR rained out yesterday. Following re-scheduled race today (now!) on Twitter @NASCARsays - amazing. #14 not doing so good...
3) @dshaut - not a DH [Denny Hamlin, FedEx #11] fan, but he is rocking it today. Can't Tweet much else bout race - hubby Pocono-silence til he can TiVo tonight!#NASCAR
4) That would be a COOL job - to sit there and Tweet a #NASCAR Sprint Cup Race live-action. I could do that!!
5) Have been working, but @NASCARsays Twitter, sounds like heck of a race to watch tonight! Still in progress, but all kinds of stuff happning!
6) Oh man, I know how the race went and who won, thx again to @NASCARsays! Now I have 2 keep hush until later 2nite - hubby wants NO details!
7) It's like skipping to last page of a novel, which I also can't resist. I always go back and read it all, I just like knowing what to expect!

Tue., Aug. 4:
1) Today is Rebel Grammy day, once-a-week caregiver. Visited neuro-psych today & various adventures. At the grocery store - it's a long day.

2) V. Cool - RT @books: ...teen version of self-help bestseller "The Secret" hits bookstores in Sept: Secret to Teen Power //going 2 pre-order!
3) Before The Secret - great book I have been reading on iPhone/Amazon Kindle: Haanel/Master Key

Wed., Aug. 5:
HOTlanta today - helped set up for BTS at our new elem school. 9yo Phenom going to 4th grade. Lunch w/kids & we're going to chill indoors.

Thur., Aug. 6:
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my fab hubby & beshert - 21 years today, happily-ever-after! (OMG, we can't be that old!)(Married@20/22-we're not!);-)

Fri., Aug. 7:
1) Congrats, Carla - awesome!! RT @carlawhite: Gratitude Journal is in USA Today! Front page no less!! http://bit.ly/ae1hx //great article!

2) No idea 3 kids at 3 different schools this year (elem, middle & high) would lay me out. Completely. Running ALL day today: meet & greets.

Sun., Aug. 9:
1) School starts Monday - in Atlanta, anyway: Mom's New Year - Happy, Happy! 1st day will be catching up, figuring out my life next 9mos!

2) Up late (now early!) working on 3 kids Back To School & big project submit this week: 1st iPhone App & 1st eBook (related)! More news soon--

Camp Mommy 2009 - Week 9 on Twitter

Yes, Twitter is definitely the ADHD Media of choice! I am aware of how my writing skills and standards have diminished with 140-character-limited random outbursts throughout the day. Still, it's really fun, addictive and obsessive, too. Navel-gazing? Maybe so, but it has been an ongoing conversation this summer with an ever-expanding group of friends and cyber-acquaintances, which has been interesting. (Look at me, using all those big words while my character count is unlimited!)

Mon, July 20:
1) 
Happy Monday! 2/3 kids away this week, camp counseling (working!) and school program (high school jumpstart). Me & 9yo & dog, enjoying peace

2) 
Now reading: Asperger Syndrome & The Elementary School Experience: Practical Solutions for Academic & Social Difficulties (S.T. Moore,M.Ed.)
3) 

Kind of slow going, as Asperger's is such a spectrum, not all applies. Preparing for new school year - practical strategies for 9yo Phenom

4) Lost an iPod at Piedmont Park - over by the tennis center this afternoon at 4pm camp pick up. Retraced our steps, but no luck. Hope...


Tue, July 21:
1) 
Decatur Book Festival is gearing up for Labor Day Weekend - tons of authors & events, lots of excitement! Follow @DBookFestival on Twitter--
2) 
@DBookFestival - Laurel, also NASCAR Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway Labor Day Weekend - lots going on! Books & NASCAR crossover? Well, I do!

3) 
Good Karma: truly a miracle, lost iPod came back! Security guard found it at Piedmont Park. I had called yesterday to report & left ph#.Yay!

4) 
Not-so-good Karma: right after iPod good K, I got a traffic violation for right turn on red at 14th & P'Tree - doh! Just didn't see sign :-(

5) 
And then I blew almost $300 on back-to-school clothes for 14yo Puberty Angst Boy - 1 kid done, 2 to go...TG for Target, baby! What a day--

Fri, July 24:
1) 
TGIF, but sick (prob swineflu). Long-anticipated Date Nite plans (Star Trek@The Fox!) falling apart due to childcare & kids' plans: snafu!
2) 
(I was kidding about swine flu - just don't feel good, probably summer cold or allergy. Ugh.)

[Off-Twitter note: Later determined, after three days sick, reacting badly to decaf coffee - we'd tried to switch, ease up on the caffeine, but something in the decaf wrecked me, so we are back on full-strength, just one cup in the AM. What is in that decaf coffee?!]

Myrtle Beach Family Vacation on Twitter

We had a great time on our quickie Family Vacation to Myrtle Beach - for close to less than $1000, family of five. Of course, we stayed in a very "retro" motel with kitchenette; only three nights (that's all we thought we could handle - we were right!); packed most of our food: breakfasts, lunches and snacks; and, since we didn't find great food and dining options until the last night of our adventure (unwilling to stray too far from the beach/water park), we only had one nice meal out at a restaurant (not counting Burger King)!

We've lived 15 years in Atlanta, but this was our first trip to the South Carolina beach resort of legend. It was FUN, if a bit overwhelming: our favorite beach is still nice, quiet, remote Navarre Beach in northwest Florida, and Pensacola Beach for a big night out at Flounders. Of course, we ventured to Myrtle Beach for the anti-quiet family fun & activity: the resort water park, with water slide and lazy river; the dozen pools on-site; beachfront 'luxury'; world-class miniature golf; and, at the Sea Mist Resort, free passes to nearby Family Kingdom Amusement Park and Family Kingdom Water Park. We packed a ton of fun into 3 nights/4 days:

Saturday, July 11th:
1) On our way 2 Myrtle Beach in the family truckster...so far, so good. Remains 2B seen if possible 14yo Puberty Angst Boy to have fun w/family
2) Gorgeous day to be on a Road Trip!
1:17 PM Jul 11th from Twitterrific:
3) Picnic lunch at I20 rest area, SC Welcome Center. Caged monkeys getting restless & bickery - good food & stretch help (esp me). Near 1/2way.
4) En route to Myrtle Beach from Atlanta - Darlington?! Off the right track to detour, #NASCAR obsessed: Rebel@Darlington
4:34 PM Jul 11th from Twitterrific
5) We are so far off designated route, no idea where we are...ah, to be lost in SC...oh, I20 just ends, apparently...Jeep GPS so bad, TG iPhone

6) Arrived Myrtle Beach: wow. Still settling in, waiting for pizza delivery while everyone else down at pool - 10pm. Beach is beautiful at nite
7) Night beach tip: neon glow bracelets(Target) keep track of your kids.
Also fun:anything that glows/flashes to throw in & comes back in surf!
8) Arrived 7pm - already: arcade, comp drink 4 mom&dad, resort grocery, mini golf/waterpark (2mrw), beach & pool...starving, waiting 4 pizza!

Sunday, July 12th:
End of very long day, but fun. 3 kids buzzin@midnite, 2 tired parents. Resort water park-awesome; beach-also; old school amusement park;-)

Monday, July 13th:
Last night in Myrtle Beach: afternoon thundershowers - big Hibachi dinner @ Kono Asian Grill. Big-time mini golf tourney @ pirate joint!

Tuesday, July 14th:
1) Myrtle Beach to home: Atlanta. 4hrs to go, I can hardly wait! Miss my bed, condo, Piedmont Park & Mocha the Dog (her dog-vacation@Dogaroo).
2) Of course, hubby & I are exhausted from vacation w/kids - broke, too! Good time had by all...no place like home, no place like home!!
4:26 PM Jul 14th from Twitterrific:
3) Home again, home again, jiggity jig! I will never go on another family vacation w/ 14yo,12yo&9yo again! (I always say that.) Unpack begins.
4) We did not bring home any beach creatures (learned that lesson long ago!) - empty shells only. We did have that tantrum though - required?!