happy thanksgiving!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know we did. I decided to dust off my camera and actually take some pictures. Enjoy!

bullying.

Luke's been getting bullied at school.  The first time it happened I was a little angry but brushed it off to "boys being boys". After all, I want my child to be able to fight his own battles one day and maybe standing up to some little jerk kids would help that.

He said a little boy passed around his iPad at his after school program and let everyone play except him. He mocked Luke's voice (high pitched) and told him he couldn't play his game. When Luke offered to help the kid beat a level because he had already done so, the kid told him "You aren't my boss! Leave me alone!"  As a mom, I think my blood pressure shot up and I wanted to kick a little six-year-old's ass. But I resisted. I told Luke to tell the teacher if he felt he couldn't handle the situation.

Day two. The little kid and his friend asked to see Luke's artwork then proceeded to tear it up all while laughing. Luke was devastated. He's very serious about his art. It's his passion. He said this particular piece took him 30 minutes to do. I emailed his teacher.

She was awesome. She was visibly upset. Bullying is a touchy subject these days. No tolerance. Although it wasn't happening during her classroom hours, she still took it upon herself to talk with the after-school coordinator.

Things went well the next few days. About a week later, Luke said he had made an elaborate board game. He drew it, cut pieces out, and asked the little bullies if they'd like to play. They said, "sure!" .. then took the pieces from him and tore them all up. Again, I talked with the teacher.

The thing is.. Luke is so painfully shy he won't tell anyone when it is happening. He'll internalize it. He'll even make excuses for the bullies. "Well, they were just playing. They aren't trying to be mean." It is heartbreaking to sit back and watch.

One more time happened with an incident with one of the same kids pushing down his legos he had built. This time, however, a third grader saw the situation and told.

BUT.. the last straw was when the kid punched him in the stomach. HANG ON. You don't touch my child. Much less PUNCH HIM in the stomach. When I say I was livid, it is an absolute understatement. I talked with the coordinator who immediately pulled the kid aside and sat him, Luke, and I in an empty room at a table. I've never seen a kid squirm so bad.

I don't know if it was the fact that I was there or what, but Luke did not back down when confronting the kid. The little jerk kept denying until finally Luke said, "No. It was you. You know it was you." He admitted.

Thankfully we haven't had any more issues. In fact, since that little impromptu meeting the kid has tried to be Luke's friend.

All of this to say that I enrolled him in jiu jitsu classes. After the first class he was a completely different person. He holds himself differently. He has a confidence about him that wasn't there before. They day he got his uniform was hilarious. He was SO excited. He started walking differently!

It's the best thing we've ever done.

I'm blank because..

I'm weird because...
I can't sleep without my hair in a pony tail and my bangs pinned back in a bobby pin.
I hate soup. The idea of drinking a meal makes me cringe.
my child asked me where babies come from I told him. All of the details.
I hate jewelry. Bracelets are the worst.
I hate milk except in cereal. However, I will not drink the milk in it.
I know nothing about history except the Holocaust. The first "big" book I was read was The Diary of Anne Frank, in second grade.



I'm a bad friend because...
I'm not good at keeping in touch.
I don't do well socially in a large group of people.
I sometimes take days to respond.
I don't keep plans every time.


I'm a good friend because...
I will always listen.
I'm good at participating in a bitch fest.
I remember the little things.
I'm good at giving thoughtful presents.


I'm sad because...
most of the time I think I'm damaging my child. Am I doing a good enough job? Am I supportive enough?
I really would love to have more patience.
I'm so cynical.
I miss my family.
sometimes I feel like my peers are moving on without me.


I'm happy because...
I'll be 30 next month and I've accomplished much of my 30 before 30 list.
I've got my own apartment, living on my own.
I've got the best kid in the world and he loves me.
I've got the best mom in the world as well.
I can finally appreciate girl friends.


I'm excited for...
the future!
my birthday.
decorating for the holidays.
seeing my brother.
finally having the money to travel next year.

halloween, daylight savings time.

i don't know if it's the shorter days or the cold weather but i'm in some kind of funk.  i've been very low energy lately and bedtime can't come fast enough. i always go through this during the fall. it's funny because fall is my favorite season. the weather just makes you want to have a partner to keep you warm. sitting closely on the sofa under a blanket. the past decade i've been single more than i've been in a relationship. i need to change that. i need to put myself out there. meet men, not boys. someone that's going to choose me as his first choice.  i have this cycle where i find guys that are just getting out of relationships and need someone to mend their broken hearts. i guess i like playing the role of nurse because i've helped so many. but what's good about that for me? nothing. it's time to take charge because i'm worth it, damn it.


anyway, luke is doing great. his reading level has improved and homework hasn't been nearly as traumatizing. he is now in jiu jitsu and i think it's the best thing we've ever done. he actually told the teacher on one of the bullies! way to go, luke.

luke's on top practicing his crocodile hold.

everyone says i look like flo from progressive.. so i decided to be her.

i won $100 at work for best costume!

minecraft steve, flo, and darth vader.

halloween 2013.

this guy has a bed, a crate, and a toy box.. 

but he prefers a box luke drew on.

his minecraft creeper pumpkin.

the little five points parade!

little 5 points parade part deux.

luke and his friend johnny.

and i pretty much love kristin, johnny's mom.

i've been putting more effort into the way i look.

why not.

see? a dress!

rachaelgreen.com

i finally bought rachaelgreen.com so now i'm a legit web developer.

need a site? have a friend that needs a site?

get at me.

rachaelgreen.com

rachaelgreen.com

rachaelgreen.com

shameless self promo.

fair 2013.

luke's out of school from thursday to monday and as luck would have it, my mom is off of work those exact days. this girl has needed a break for a while so i felt like fate was stepping in! my mom was so glad to take luke. i didn't even ask. she volunteered. i LOVE that woman.

you'd think i would have gone crazy; drinking, partying. but nope.. i met up with a friend and we ate at a relatively expensive restaurant like adults. i think i drank one sangria over the course of an hour or two?  the party life... that's right.

dinner time! iberian pig. SO GOOD.

the fair is in perry this week.. i've never missed a year. even though luke was with my mom i knew i had to make the trip down to go with him. i picked brent up along the way and we made a day/night of it. afterwards, i came back to atlanta.. leaving luke in warner robins. 

it was the first time i can ever remember him caring that i was leaving. it BROKE my heart. he cried a painful cry.. telling me he really wanted to go back home with me because he'd miss me. but he was also torn because he really wanted to spend time why my mom. 

poor baby...

it was so hard.

ferris wheel with my love.

petting zoo! he fell in love with the shetland pony.

he wasn't scared at all of the clown. but he's scared of santa.

weirdo.

this was the first ride. the merry go round!

this guy is my favorite. every. year.

<3 p="">

this is melvin. he was just a little baby last year. 

ah... there you are, asthma!

my little dude has began to have his yearly bout of asthmatic troubles. unfortunately, the weakened immune system has made him susceptible to allergens he's never been exposed to before. the new environment is really taking a toll on his poor body. he started with hives all over him yesterday and today they were even between his toes! poor baby...

we still haven't declared a pediatrician here as i haven't gotten a good idea of the area yet. this meant that yesterday my only option was to take him to the nearby urgent care center.. a part of egleston. i'll NEVER go there again!  the doctor there was awful, rude, looked at me as if i was negligent, and made fun of luke! so today when luke woke up sick and blue again, i decided to bypass egleston (it's 8 minutes away) and head over to scottish rite.. 30 minutes away. the doctor at scottish rite was brilliant! he gave me his children's pediatrician's number as well as a wife/husband practice of pediatric pulmonologists.