How Do You Become Secretary for the PTA?????

I always wondered how you got into positions of power in different organizations. I figured it had to be a combination of going to meeting, participating, and (the all important) knowing those who are in charge. I have been proven wrong in my thinking, once again. I am now secretary for the Rowland PTA Board. Are you impressed???? Don't be, but it makes for a good story.

At the beginning of the school year I decided that I wanted to become more involved with the PTA. I attended the first meeting they had and voted to appoint the different officers to their positions, signed up for committee's, and planed on attending future meetings. Unfortunately, with the home schedule being a little crazy the next meeting I attended was in December (so much for good intentions). I made a special effort to be there because I knew they were discussing Winter Break (heaven forbid we say holiday or Christmas) Parties. I have been very involved in each of the boys classes so I decided I should know what the PTA was planning for these parties. If only to let the teachers know what to expect. So off I go, ready to get some information. Out comes my pen and paper so I can take personal notes (so my memory doesn't have to be to over worked) and I'm ready. Apparently the president thought so too. She explains that they need someone to take the minutes for the meeting and with my handy pen out I get chosen to do the job. After writing down practically every word that is said, I offer to type up my chicken scratch and e-mail it to the president so someone can understand the minutes. At this point she tells me that they are in need of a new secretary and asks if I would be willing to fill the position. Before I even think, the normal Mormon response to being asked to fill a position comes flying out of my mouth. "Of course, I would love to!!!!"

So there it is, you don't need to work overtime, come to meeting regularly, or know those higher up in the chain; you just need a pen. This has become a joke between Doug and I now. Whenever one of us gets asked to do something and we don't quite know how we ended up there, we just blame it on having a pen.

Ahhhh.... The Holidays

Ok, I have finally recouped and think I can post about our holidays. Although Doug was busy studying and taking national boards for his Christmas break, we were able to pull him away for a while here and there to enjoy the holidays. Christmas Eve day was spent making final preparations for the Smith's visit (otherwise known as the invasion). Then that night we had dinner of pizza (not homemade this year), soup, and salad. We then told the Christmas story, drove around to look at lights (people in Cleveland really could learn a few things about putting up lights), the boys opened their jammies, and Night Before Christmas was read. The boys were all put snugly to bed on the floor of the Master Bedroom since we were saving all the other beds for the guests. Then Doug and I waited until the fam arrived about 12:00 am Christmas morning.

Christmas morning was great. The boys couldn't tell what they were more excited about - Santa coming or Nana, Papa, Aunt Jen, Uncle Dunna, and Aunt Taty being there. It was a great day of opening presents, eating, sleeping, playing games, assembling toys, and watching movies.

While everyone was here visiting we took in some of the local attractions. The Christmas Story movie (you know, You'll Shot Your Eye Out!!!) was filmed in Cleveland and they have made a museum of the house were the film was shot. We visited the museum and got pictures around the leg lamp. Next was the West Side Market where we picked the wrong day since there was hardly anyone there. After that Papa took the boys to the Children's Museum and the rest of us went out shopping the after Christmas sales. Doug of course was studying. We also made trips to the Penitentiary Glenn Candy Land Game and The Johnson Farm. Most of all the boys enjoyed having two adults to every kid. It was never a problem finding someone to play a game, read a book, or listen to unending stories with no plot.

New Year's was not that big of a deal for us this year. I was sick and Doug was just sick and tired of studying. He had taken his test the weekend before and was just ready to relax and go to bed early. So that's what we did. Are we getting old or what?

Now school is back in session. Doug is looking for patients, I'm trying to keep everything under control, and the boys are trying to drive us crazy as quickly as they can. Back to normal.