The "Emily" Bridge

I haven't written in a while because my computer has been out of commission.   It still is but I'm using my surface.  But it's difficult for me to use as my fat fingers don't work so well with this tiny keyboard.. lol.  Anyway.... lets see... Emily had a bridge project, in of all classes Algebra 1.  She had to make a bridge using only standard size popsicle sticks & white Elmer's glue.  That's all they were allowed to use for materials & the crazy thing was it had to hold 40 pounds!!!!  I was like, " no way!".... But Emily did the research & decided to do a "Truss" bridge.  Which uses geometric shapes. Emily used triangles,  cause, " They are the strongest shape".  They were only given a little over a week to complete it.  Emily did such a great job on it!  I was really impressed with the job she did.  Brian helped a little but really just a little & pretty much only for holding it when she needed him to ,while she was putting the clamps on.  I think the greatest thing she did was doing a little each night & using the clamps.  The clamps really helped keeping it sturdy while the glue dried.  Anyway,  it was nice cause I'm usually the one who helps Emily w her projects but this time it was a daddy/daughter thing.  I'm just grateful it was assigned while Brian was here, as he knew which clamps would work best & could take Emily out to get them.  I really didn't have alot of input on this project which was just fine w me.  lol  Anyway, It was due on April 1st!!!! Of course Emily took advantage of that date & pulled a really good Aprils fools trick on me. When she got home from school that day,  she said in the most believable & saddest way,.." Mom we ended up testing the bridges today & mine only held 35 pounds.". Now...The only flaw in Emily's plan was my reaction.  I got really excited because after re-reading the grading system that morning it said 30+ pounds was still good but 40 pounds + got you extra points!!!  We had all been thinking it was 40pounds so she thought 35 pounds wasn't so good. But I was like, " Em that's really good!!!!!" When she then said April's fools!!!!  I was like... oh, you got me!!!! She totally did too! I fell for it completely!!!!  The thing was though now I was like oh.... I hope it holds that much when they actually test it,  to tell the truth I was a bit relieved knowing the test was over, & it held up pretty well.   I really only cared cause I knew how hard Emily had worked on it & I really wanted her to get a good grade for that reason most of all.  We of course would have to wait awhile for the actually weight test on the bridge which wouldn't be completed until after spring break which was a good 5 days away... lol.  It was the next Thursday when she found out how well it did.   I found out at work when I get the following text from Emily, " Hi Mommy I'm at drama club, and they gave me permission to text u. Also we tested bridges 2day and my bridge held...... wait 4 it.....165POUNDS!! My teacher said it was a class record!!!"  Of course I was super proud & bragging to all my co workers. I even went back & shared it with the Pharmacy guys.  How awesome!!!!  #proudmama

Those damn whippersnappers

 Yesterday I was at Kmart in our town.  I'm not a frequent shopper of kmart, because the one by us,  never seems to have enough registers open & I find that annoying & it's in need of a big time make over so I don't find that much pleasure in the shopping experience,  but I do like that they support the March of Dimes so there is that and I NEEDED a glass pyrex lasagna dish for dinner.  We used to have two of them but they seemed to have disappeared.  I wonder if I broke them & forgot about it or left them at someone's house.... either way I couldn't find one to save my life... ok well to at least save dinner.  SO I just went to the closest place to us which was Kmart.  I go in & immediately head towards the kitchen ware aisle in the back of the store.  I was able to find what I needed pretty quickly.. so that was a plus.  I start heading up to the front of the store where the registers are located & ofcourse there are like 6 customers in each line & only 2 lines OPEN.  UGH! I will say in their defense they did make an announcement that all "register trained" associates come to the front to ring people up.  After a few moments several employees start coming up front.  In the meantime though,  I see this very elderly man wearing a "WW II Veteran" hat standing in the line I'm not in, he's at the end of the line...  about 5 or 6 people back with one item.  a belt.  that was on clearance. (this has NO relevance to the story I just notice cause I'm cheap & therefore notice clearance stickers..lol)   So I say to him... "you can go in front of me" after all he's a senior citizen & most probably a veteran. Then it dawn's on me.... does no one else notice him?  I guess it's wrong for me to assume that they did.... but it did make me think.   No one seems to pay attention to anyone else or anything else around them anymore.   Anyway... it made me kind of sad.  So as I see this worker coming to the front I say to him...."are you going to open a register?"  "yes" so I say.... "can you help this gentleman here first"  "yeah ok"  The veteran guy thanks me & I say, "no problem...thank you" He smiles.  It turns out that the older veteran gentlemen, me & another woman follow the worker into a newly opened line.  The one woman that was behind me says..."maybe you should work here"  ha... So I say, " I just feel like he's a veteran & a senior citizen & we should help him out"  She agrees.   Anyway.... the worker actually can't get a "till" to use because there is only one customer service rep to give him one & she's busy. UGH! SO I say, "well can you ring him up at the jewelry counter?"  He ask & he can.  The worker says in a regular voice, to the old man... "I can help you at the jewelry counter" & quickly walks away, I go to another register to wait.  Then I see the veteran guy looking confused at the end of the aisle we were just all in.  So I get out my line & direct him to the jewelry counter.  I guess this not that young but young(er) than me worker didn't care or atleast think enough to walk slower & speak louder to him.   It's something I've noticed since working "retail" after years of being away from it, these kids these days are so self-involved.   I see it all the time, & you know when it dawns on me the most when I actually get that one kid who's polite.  It's so refreshing.  It's so rare.  Maybe we were all like this when we were young,  maybe it's only cause I'm older now that I'm seeing it.  BUT I don't think we were this bad... I think it's all those devices these kids have grown  up on.  I know I sound so old..... "those damn whippersnappers."  But it is true....then again,  there were a lot of people in the lines, not just young people & NO ONE seemed to notice or help this man.   That's the problem... everyone seems oblivious these days.  I notice customers all the time who are on their phones WHILE I'm waiting on them.   Some of the times I think they are talking to me when they are talking to the person on the phone.  It's ridiculous.  It's rude & they don't even seem to notice or care that they are doing it.   I wish we as a society could look up every once in a while. Kind of like that picture of the guy on the boat who missed the "whale" swimming right beside the boat but never noticed it cause he was on his phone.  A once in a lifetime experience that he missed out on. That's what we've become.  It is sad.  Next time when you are out & about,  why not look up & out.... perhaps you'll see something or someone you wouldn't have otherwise.    Just a thought.

Update March for Babies.

Hey Everyone.  Our family's March for Babies team is off to a great start!  We are $20 short of $1000.00 raised so far for the March of Dimes this year.  Can you help us reach it?  We are trying to ultimately raise at least $5000.00 for them this year. The walk is on April 26th.  It'll be here sooner than it seems so we need your help now.   Click the link on the side of my blog/or below to make a donation. TY! Any size donation would be great!  One person can donate $20, 4 people can donate $5 or 20 can donate $1 & we still reach it.  Thank you---- we so appreciate your help.  xo   :)   Missy


www.marchforbabies.org/meliwil

Little Miss... Brutally honest

The other day my daughter Emily was being her brutally honest self.  Telling me I'm the worst singer in the world.  Partly I think because she kind of enjoys getting a rise out of me. This is probably a little bit of Emily just being Emily & also just part of being a young teenager.  BUT She constantly is telling me I am the "worst" singer in the world.  Sometimes it gets annoying.  Anyway on this particular day I shot her the look like,  well maybe I am but that wasn't very nice.  So she quickly changes it to... "ok well.... you are the worst singer in this house".  As if that's better.   Now don't get me wrong I am awful.  I can't remember lyrics to save my life & can't keep a tune for that matter either.  My singing is bad. real bad. So maybe she's right but she should just keep it to herself.  Not Emily though... she blurts things out all the time that maybe she shouldn't.  That mental filter thing... well she's still working on that.   Anyway... so I say you are always telling me what I'm not good at.  Why not tell me something I'm the best at.  She says... "Well you are the best at taking care of me when I'm sick"  AWWWW.... Ok... all is forgiven.  :)