AM~Erica Delivers a Near Parenting Win

So anyway...

As a parent, you have to figure out a different way to get a point thru to your kids...I have done several in the past, but I wanted to share my newest one that I was prepared to use. I didn't get to use it, but a particular child of mine now knows what I can be capable of.

Teen Girl (I bet you knew I'd be talking about this kiddo) had a part in her high school play this weekend. Somehow, at some point along the way before Teen Girl ever got to this school, there has been an interesting tradition of a cast party following every show. I mean, seriously? They pick a different restaurant after every show. I don't know why...but it's what happens.

The show that was picked this time was "The King and I." If you are familiar with this story and show, you know it's a 3 hour event. If the evening shows don't begin until 7:00 or after, that puts the show being over around 10:00 or after. Then, costumes must come off & getting ready to go. So the kids don't even really head away from the school until 10:30 (since they greet the masses afterward). Many places close around 11:00 around here. So, they were having difficulty finding suitable places. (should've been a hint to cut off the "tradition", but whatever)

Well, I ended up being one of the drivers for Teen Girl & a friend...so imagine my shock when yet another hopped in, too. Not a bad thing, just didn't expect it. But off we went. And, come to find out, Teen Girl needed me to pick her back up by midnight. UGH!!!

So, I came home, did a couple of chores & then had a brilliant parenting idea...

I'd already texted her that I planned to get HER & that I wasn't going to be driving around all over the place after midnight. We had church in the morning, too...so the quicker to bed, the better! Since I didn't hear anything back, I wasn't sure what she might pull. So, I pulled out the big guns...

I put on my pajamas, slippers & a bright red robe to go get her. This served several purposes:

1. I was already for bed, so all I had to do was come home & make sure all was closed up so I could get some shut eye.

B. It would be delightfully embarrassing for her if she promised a friend or 2 a ride home & mom is doing it in her PJ's. Oh yes indeed.

III. If she was not out there by midnight and she wouldn't answer her phone or text from me...I would epically embarrass her by strolling into the restaurant dressed for bed. Oh yes. Oh yes.

Quatro. I'd be comfy.

Well, when I pulled up, she was standing outside waiting for me...with a friend. Then only she got into the car. Only a slight let down. I mean, she did what she was supposed to, but I didn't get to use my awesome parenting superpower of embarrassment. *sigh*

She got it & looked at me. Then she said, "Well, you look cute." I don't think she realized what was up my sleeve. Then I turned all super villain & told her my plan (much like Heinz Doofenshmirtz would to Perry the Platypus [aka - Agent P] describing the Emarrassment-o-nator).

Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz describing to trapped Agent P about his grand plan to take over the
Tri-State Area with some invention.

She looked at me with a delightfully horrified look...and said, "No! Just no. You look 'stay-in-the-car' cute." *snort*

However, I did let her know that I am not afraid to pull that card again. I just told her I was prepared with warfare. She might think the next time she pulls a surprise of extra people or not being ready when I need to get her. She might not know what to expect...

Dr. Evil & Mr. Bigglesworth
~awesome super villain~

Bwah-hahahahahahahaha...BWAH-hahahahahahahahaha
BWAH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
A-HA...Ha-Ha...ha...
*ahem*

Feel free to tap into your super-villain parenting super powers. It's kind of fun. The look you'll get...is...PRICELESS...

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Gets Seussified

So anyway...

Today is a day
That we celebrate
a Seussy birthday!

If you remember last year,
What should have caused a CHEER
ended up causing a tear.
But this is a different year,
Let me explain
just to be clear:

Year, Cheer
Year, Tear
Year, Year, Clear, Clear

On March second
of year ONE-TWO,
I celebrated
in the Lou!

St. Louis, that is!
The time had come
That my new invite
really had come!

I left from KC
at 30 til 5
Then came the nearly
4 hour drive.

A lot of coffee
I did need
So my awakeness & energy
I might feed.

I spent the morning
with Timmy Ezell!
Here's your warning:
IT WENT WELL!



Ezell, Ezell;
Went well, went well!
It went WELL with Tim Ezell!

A show with olympics themed Seussical
and ending with a gospel choir musical.
With Cat in the Hat Tim
and I as Thing 1,
It was easy to tell
that it was so fun!

Cat, Thing 1
So much fun!
We had fun
And Thing 1...WON!

It appears I have a new buddy.
Let me tell you that Timmy's
no fuddy-duddy!

He's no fuddy-duddy buddy!

And it only took a whole two years!
And the Fox 2 staff really are dears!

Now a video I thought I'd share.
You can watch it...if you care!
YOu can watch it...if you DARE!

WATCH IF YOU CARE OR DARE!


Then I headed back
just after 10;
Another nearly 4 hours
til I got in.

Now I'm home & trying to figure out dinner.
I'm so tired from being a winner
that we need to find a dinner winner.

Hope you found a way to celebrate!
You still have time...
It's not too late!

It's never too late
to celebrate!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Just an update on our dinner:
We picked one that was a true WINNER!

IHOP has Green Eggs & Ham
but tied to the Lorax
instead of Sam-I-am.

The Lorax breakfast was truly yummy!
Had more coffee & it filled my tummy!

For now, I am a tired chick.
Maybe another time
for the Lorax flick.

What's Goin on with AM~Erica?

So, anyway...

I have a few things to put into this post. So, just bear with me.

Let me jump back a few nights ago to our church's annual auction (formerly MUMC Youth Auction, now Missions Auction which still helps the youth PLUS missions). This is an insane, fancy event! My hubby & I went to our first one last year, and we couldn't believe the amount of $$$ being put out there for items. There was a silent auction for a TON of stuff, then there's a oral auction with an auctioneer - a REAL one! We were so out of our league last year, we mostly went for the food & hoped we could participate in the silent auction. We did win a pair of tickets to see High School Musical at the Muny for my daughter's b-day...that was it. We spent the rest of the time eating and smiling & nodding (plus we enjoyed the company of the people at our table).

This year was different...very different. First, it was VERY scaled down & low-key. We are in a recession, so I know that had to hurt this fabulous even quite a bit. Plus there was a lot of other things going on during the weekend, so even the attendance was much less than in the past. No silent auction this year (WHAT...that's how we got to participate last year!), but still an oral auction with the same auctioneer - who, btw, has done the MUMC auction all 16 years it's been in existance. But there was a great change! People actually got to BUY for missions! The 4 major organizations our church supports had booths set up with displays of what they needed - then people could buy one of those things, or give toward it. Wow - it was so much more meaningful to actually see what you were doing for the organizations first hand. In return, you could get tickets, depending on what you spent, to go toward a donation RAFFLE. There was a few neat things we were deciding what to put our tickets toward - including the unbelievable safari package that contained jungle games, books, toys, stuffed animals, A YEAR'S MEMBERSHIP TO THE ST. LOUIS ZOO & BEHIND THE SCENES PASSES TO GO WITH IT. Amazing. We definately wanted to try for that one...especially with the kids. We put in a couple of tix for the "Girls Night Out" package that included 2 tickets to Hairspray at the Fox Theatre. I would take Liz, of course. Then, God Bless Betsy. Betsy is a wonderful woman of God with a GIANT heart. She & her hubby bought several items for the organizations & had more tickets than they knew what to do with...they were GIVING THE TICKETS AWAY!! She gave us about 12 more. So...we put a BUNCH more into the zoo bucket, another in the Hairspray bucket, and then a couple more into one called "All About Me" - a spa package. Why not...

We had a pretty good meal, the oral auction didn't have the money flowing as abundantly (it was all still too much for us), but we still had a fun table & glad we got to participate & get all dressed up. You will love to know that I wore a gorgeous dress that is bright turquoise with a touch of sequin & beading detail - an $8 find at Goodwill. I got more compliments in that crowd than I would have imagined. Glad I wore it! OH...and I, of course, had a scarf for my hair that happened to match.

As for the raffles, I won the "All About Me" package...you know - the "afterthought" one! YEA! Oh, darn - now I have to find sometime to USE it! OK - I have a year. There's bound to be a little time in there somewhere to get a pedicure & a spa treatment of sorts, right? We didn't get the others we were really pulling for, though. Oh well. It was a fun night! And, don't worry, I did thank Betsy for the spa package since it was her ticket that got it for me.

Today is Earth Day & also Administrative Professionals Day. Since I'm an "administrative professional", the guys at work got me flowers (which happend to match my outfit today - FUNNY) & they are taking me to lunch at the Brickhouse. YUM! I love my job!

And, I have caught a bug...the Twitter-bug! Seriously...you can follow @ http://twitter.com/iTweetAM_Erica. And it's connected to my FaceBook status updates.

This is what I have for now. I am trying to work up the courage for a much harder post. Pray for God to give me strength for that post to help with my healing. You will understand once I can get it posted...next time...

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

PS ~ you can follow me on my blog & on Twitter! Just hit the "Follow" button on either if you have an account or after you set one up. It's easy to do on BOTH! See you there!