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Countdown is On

The countdown is on! Only six more days until the Mayor’s graduation officially ends our family’s school days. It’s been a long and winding road that started at a preschool in Minnesota in 2003. I still remember the orientation like it was yesterday. The teachers largely ignored me and talked to my mom. To be fair, I looked like a kid and she still doesn’t look her age. From next Monday forward, I will be but a passenger in the next generation’s school journey.

Twenty-two years of homework, last-minute science projects, angry emails, and angry calls are coming to an end. Fortunately, the Mayor hit his stride at Park Vista and made the A honor roll each quarter this year. This last year of school for our family has been a godsend. Happenstance put us in that school with the people best suited to help him handle and manage his diabetes diagnosis. I could pinch myself at how blessed we’ve been with his school nurse, teachers, and administrators.

One of my favorite school day stories featuring the Mayor happened when he was in first grade. A couple of things to keep in mind. At this point, he was living in hockey locker rooms. Two, LMFAO and “Party Rock” were everywhere at this time. At lunch, his friend dared him to stand on the table, drop his pants, and “wiggle it” as the song lyrics suggested. With no compunction, he accepted and executed the dare. Consequently, I received an urgent call for a meeting with the teacher.

When I met with the teacher and she told me what happened, it was all I could do not to laugh. After all, he did this little dance on the cafeteria table wearing Thomas the Tank Engine underwear. Horrified, I explained to the teacher that he lives in his older brother’s hockey locker room and is a hockey player himself. His teacher gave me a knowing look and said, “I grew up in Michigan and dated hockey players all my life. This makes complete sense. I will take care of it with the administration, so it doesn’t become an issue.”

2025 Goal Tracker:

  • Run a 5K: in training
  • Complete Kayla Itsines program: in progress. I completed High Intensity 1.0 last week and started 2.0 yesterday!
  • No afternoon Starbucks (except for travel/vacations): I made it into May and haven’t buckled!
  • Top performer at work: on it!
  • Travel: working on it
  • Eat to lower inflammation: in progress
  • Read daily: in progress. I’m reading A Knight and a Spy 1415 (The Road to Agincourt – King’s Spy), by Simon Fairfax
  • Get out of debt: in progress
  • Financial independence: in progress

What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?

I’ve made a lot of changes for the better this year. One thing I’d like to do is grow more fruits and vegetables in my yard. Florida is the perfect place for year round agriculture, so there’s really no excuse. This fall I’m going to plant some herbs and vegetables that we can harvest throughout the winter. It’s too hot in summer for a lot of these vegetables.

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Mother’s Day Weekend

Mother’s Day weekend was fabulous! I had all three of my boys home, which was simply amazing. It started with a BBQ and the Panther’s game at our friend’s house Friday night. The game was incredible! Thankfully, the Panthers came away with a victory. It was a great night with great food, great company and some great hockey.

Saturday I went dress shopping with Mellie and her mom. We ventured out to Boca Town Center, which was more crowded than I’d ever seen it. The goal was to determine Terri’s preferred styles and explore color options. As the mother of the groom and mother of the bride, shopping becomes complicated. You want to compliment the wedding party but don’t want to be too close. Also, you want to be age-appropriate without being too matronly. It’s a delicate balance. Nonetheless, it was a great time.

While the girls were shopping the boys enjoyed golfing at Drive Shack in West Palm. Goalielocks impressed his brothers with his golfing skills. After shopping, I headed up to Gardens to have dinner with my fellow hockey moms. It had been way too long since I last saw them! We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Avocado’s Cantina. I had two tacos that were out of this world. While I had dinner with the girls, the boys hung out and played video games.

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Sunday started with strawberries and waffles, which is always a great way to start the day. Before heading to Melody’s, I completed a nice run and yoga session. The kids, my boys, Melody and her cousins, cooked the Moms a special Mother’s Day dinner. The kids did such a great job decorating and cooking the meal. They decorated the table with photos and frames they had made for us. Additionally, they arranged to have photos taken of each family, which you know is Moms love. The best part was the video they created about mothers. It was the sweetest, funniest thing I’ve ever watched. They did such a good job! Another Panthers ‘ win was the cherry on top of a phenomenal Mother’s Day.

What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?

Financial freedom and the ability to pick up and go whenever I want would be amazing. Perhaps this is a bit offbeat, but I’d also like for health insurance to not suck.