Last Week Of School....Why Bother?

My mommy is a teacher, so is my mom-in-law. I want teachers to have a break, they deserve it, they work hard. It's the last week of school. I understand that not much teaching is going to go on this week and I understand that there are logistical details to take care of.

My daughter came home 2 days prior to school being out to tell me that all the desks in her room are gone. For the next two days she won't have a desk. She'll hang out on the floor all day? She's a little thing, 1st grade, so I'm all for circle time and such. But all day? Why send her? I'm thinking she's not learning a thing. There's no reason to remove desks from a classroom that is in use by children and I can't be alone on this.

I say teachers should infuse fun into school the last week of school but should still have a little bit of instruction time and I certainly think my child should have the privilege of having a desk the entire school year, not just most of the school year.

The History of Kim Hankins Via Concerts

I like music more than the average person. I just saw Garth on TV & it reminded me that I saw him in concert. I thought I'd list all the concerts I've seen. I"ll have to ask my girls (the 12 pack, my high school friends) which ones I forgot.

~WHITNEY HOUSTON, Jonathan Bulter opened. Our first concert. Amazing, it was during her "I Want To Dance With Somebody" days.
~STEVIE B in Miami. Crazy, it was so hot the firefighters were hosing us down and causing trips to the hospital because they were pointing it too close and burning people with the pressure.
~MILLI VANILLI. My proudest moment, really. This was such a excellent concert!
~NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK. "Oh oh oh oh oh..." If you don't understand this, I can't be your friend.
~DEBBIE GIBSON.....twice. I loved this chick. She had an all white stage and I just loved her!
~JODY WHATLEY. All the guys at our high school loved her so we called her a naughty name, we were jealous.
~ MICHAEL W SMITH. I loved Christian music even in high school & I loved him!
~AMY GRANT. She sang Friends with my friend Michael, awesome.
~PETRA. I don't remember loving them, but they were at Night of Joy (Disney for you non-Florida folks) and I always went.
~DEPECHE MODE. This was the night prior to graduation practice & we girls went with college boys. We should not have been allowed to go. They were fantastic but I saw lots of naughty stuff.
~METALLICA. Awesome, a very great day in my life, huge party prior to this concert.
~GUNS N ROSES. Awesome.
~FAITH NO MORE. It was scorching hot in Orlando's arena and we were losing our buzz, this was miserable. I vividly remember misery.
~GEORGE MICHAEL. We had awesome seats and he was so great. We pulled over to hairspray our hair again before we got to the concert, were we hoping George would notice us?
~DEF LEPPARD. The concert was "In The Round" I love them but they were too produced and not as exciting as we had hoped.
~BILLY JOEL. Piano Man. College. AKPsi. Perfect.
~ELTON JOHN. It rained, awesome though.
~GARTH BROOKS. Dinner in downtown Orlando then a horse and carriage ride to the concert. Great night. I'm from Sebring Florida, Friends In Low Places has special meaning to my life
~CRANBERRIES. The soundtrack of my life in 94. However, they stunk. She did everything slow for fear of moshing at The Edge. Moshing. Hilarious.
~COUNTING CROWS. Anna begins, phenomenal.
~WEIRD AL YANKOVIC. Is this music or comedy? I did not pay for this concert but I am child of the 80s and this may prove it.
~HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH. About 5 times. Fun when he's in a good mood.
~NICHOLE NORDEMAN. Oh, love her. I had never heard "I Am" prior and it's now a song I listen to all the time.
~COLBIE CAILLAT. My princess and I love Colbie. Any concert on a golf course with good weather is perfect.

~JOSH KELLEY. Katherine Heigl's husband and a very good singer!
~CELINE DION. Went to Vegas just for her. She's seriously beyond amazing. No one can top Celine. If you argue with me, you are simply wrong.
~BB KING. Eric and his dad like him. I'm amazed he is still singing. I will admit this was not an exciting concert but I had a great day with Eric and his parents and it was awesome to see someone so talented.

These are not in chronological order. I'm a bit fuzzy, I'll admit it. I know I'm missing many. That's why I'm making this list...so I won't forget. :) I just read this list to my husband and he agrees that I'm forgetting a lot of college concerts...things from Gator Growl and UCF Homecomings and such. I need to keep thinking.

My biggest regret in life: I didn't see Madonna. I can't believe I didn't see her! I just asked my girls why we missed it, Tia reminded me that Madonna was pricey even in the 80s. We were spoiled but not that spoiled. Good point.

Mom & Dad...you're perfect. I can't believe I saw all those concerts back when I made no money. ;)

In my spare time . . .

I love a good event! For that reason, I decided that I'd love to throw parties for free! Yes, if you are a busy body Mommy, you have probably guessed it, I am Hospitality Chair for PTA. I actually co-chair with someone who is awesome and that helps but it is still lots of work.

I love a great theme! For this year's Teacher Appreciate luncheon, we decided to do a Mexican Fiesta! So what does a busy working mommy with little spare time for this decide to do? That's right, build a margarita bar! Of course! Luckily, I have a builder for a husband so I will admit, I just designed the structure and he built it for me. Our favorite employee is amazing with a saw and 2x4's so this was a nice break for him. Then I spray painted it and shopped for fun stuff to cover it with a Viola, Margarita Bar! We had a 'bartender' there throughout the entire 3 hour event serving regular and strawberry 'margaritas' along with lemonade. It was lots of fun!

I and my awesome partner are taking on this position for one more year and then I will need an easier job!!

Happy Mother Day From The Twins

"Mom...I've got issues"

My little ballerina went on a playdate today. She got in my car and said "mom, I've got issues" in a very sassy (yet cute) tone. I said "what honey" and she said "my friend has TWO tvs in her room and one of them is a FLAT SCREEN and she has a BATHROOM in her room and I have none of that and it's not fair". I later figured out that the child has her own room with a tv and her own playroom which is the location of the flatscreen.

I'm not one to judge (ha ha, that was funny) and everyone can raise their children how they would like. But, come on, you're making it hard on the prudent parents don't you think?!! This is the same year that my daughter wrote a note to the tooth fairy to tell her $1 was not enough because all of her friends are getting webkinz for a lost tooth and she didn't want money, she wanted a webkinz.

Naturally, I told her that we thought tvs weren't for bedrooms and I didn't have a tv in my room until I married daddy (the truth...I didn't have a tv in my room until I lived with daddy) and she didn't need one now. I told her I'd her buy one for college. The bathroom....since we only have 2 kids I bet she'll have her own bathroom as a teenager...but I did not tell her that. ;)

-Kim

The Fairest Of Them All

I showed land today and got a sunburn....it's Monday morning. I went to my office & 3 people were in the lobby and one said "did you go to the beach??" Ha Ha...."no"....I patiently replied. I simply have no ability to tan and I stood outside looking at dirt for 20 minutes and I now look like I've been to the beach. People that tan have no idea how hard it is for us white folk. I say white...but come on, we're pink. :) I won't even go into our ability to blush even when we're not at all embarrassed, it happens hourly...I just blush if I think or don't think or whatever and I'm sure people wonder why, there is no why except I'm pink and go from light pink to dark pink daily. I'm sure people think I'm easily embarrassed, that's not it, I just turn pink easily. :) I prayed my children would not get my skin tone, my oldest has daddy's tan complexion but this one came out hot pink. ;) The only thing we have going for us is that when 'they' call us "The Fairest Of Them All" they are correct. ;) I have that written on my pink daughter's wall "You Are The Fairest Of Them All". She is and I am. as well.

-Kim

Hey Y'all....Paula Deen

My friend Gwenn & I went to Atlanta to the Metro Food & Entertaining Show. Paula was there. We had great seats (4th or 5th row I suppose?). Her sons are adorable and hilarious. They made 3 recipes...each with mayo. She made 3 recipes as well (well she spoke and her husband make the food). She made the orange brownies I had made for guests just the night prior...I thought that was quite a coincidence! I'm brilliant!! (ha ha)

Paula is just as funny and cute and as sweet as I thought. She was quick on her feet when she let the audience ask her questions and she was simply hilarious. One lady in the middle of the auditorium wanted one of her brownies and asked Paula to throw it. Paula did but it didn't go nearly as far as that lady wanted. Then the lady yelled "harder Paula!!" and Paula died laughing and moved on. Someone else made her a CD with a stick of butter on the cover. She truly impressed the crowd when Smithfield workers (her sponsor and a company that has union issues now) came up to her and yelled "Miss Paula" and Paula said "yes" and one of the girls said "how do you feel about how Smithfield treats its workers?!" Paula was definitely shaken for a moment and had to think for a minute. Then she said "Y'ALL...I'm not your chef, I'm your cook. I'm YOUR cook. I'm not your doctor. I'm your cook...not your politician". Everyone yelled and cheered for her, about 7 cops came out and the Smithfield girls walked off and she went on being funny and adorable. It was a GREAT two hours.

Prior to seeing Paula & her sons we shopped at the expo and learned about clingvinyl (brilliant) and went to the "Wine, Beer & Spirits Tasting" (you have to pay to get entry and it was well worth it). We didn't want beer or spirits but quickly found the wine area. There was a very nice man there serving tiny sample sizes and we said "we like wine, we're with you". That sold him, he loved us. Forget the sample sizes, he was filling us up every time. We had a wonderful wonderful wonderful time! I love Paula.....and Gwenn. ;)

-Kim

Bye Bye sewing machine

One thing I do for a living is sew. It was a BIG deal when my good old singer sewing machine broke while finishing a job. Of course I was at a client's house with a deadline. I rushed to Joanne's and bought a new one. Who knew that new machines have a self threader??????

My new machine is very similiar to my old one as they are both Singers. The bobbin is the same and it was quite simple to use. I taught myself how to sew out of sheer frustration at the cost of high end pillows and window treatments. I knew how much fabric cost and knew I could pull it off. In no time I was sewing for others. I enjoy it and love the creative process of finishing a project and learned with no 'bells and whistles'--I just sew straight lines! So I call my Mom to tell her that "my" sewing machine died. Which was her sewing machine. Which she then tells me that when I was in middle school, she bought it from the school's auction and that this machine was a cast off from 80's home ec classes--it wasn't good enough for 12 year old to hem dad's old pants on! Seriously. She thinks it was new in the 70s! And this is how I started my sewing career? It's funny right? A bit pathetic too but still, pretty funny!