FUDGE.

Ralphie: Oooh fuuudge!
Ralphie as an adult: [narrating] Only I didn't say "Fudge." I said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the "F-dash-dash-dash" word!
--A Christmas Story

At work today, I decided to take the kids outside, because we haven't been able to in months and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. The kids were running around and having fun, and I was kicking a soccer ball with a third grader named Logan.

While chasing a rough kick across the field, I stepped right into a ditch in the ground, which upset my ankle--the very same one I sprained a little more than a year ago. (Here's that story).

I panicked a little, but calmed down when I realized I could still walk on it just fine and it was starting to feel better already.

Near the end of the day, a fifth grader named De'Asia said she forgot her backpack outside. Why did she bring her backpack outside, you ask? I don't know. They were supposed to leave everything in the cafeteria. But I digress.

I went out there and found the backpack, then started climbing the steep hill to get back inside. While doing that, that same ankle screamed in protest and pain. When I got to the top of the hill, I realized it hurt like hell to walk anymore. I started panicking a lot.

And now I'm sitting at home with my foot propped up on my desk, with my familiar gauze wrap and bag of ice resting on my damn ankle. It is going through some disturbingly familiar pain right now and I am more than a little cranky.

If I did indeed manage to sprain my ankle again, how am I supposed to do my job of running around with the kids and chasing them down hallways or even going up and down all the stairs around that school?

And how am I supposed to keep up my running routine? I'd been doing very well--20 minutes of non-stop jogging every time I go to the gym. And this is a HUGE setback.

I will try to stay positive for now. Maybe it's not sprained again. But if it is... fuuuuuudge.

Happy Birthday

"Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.”
-Anne Geddes

Today is Valentine's Day. However, much more important than that, it is my dad's birthday!

I've always been really close with my dad. Actually, I was considered a "Daddy's Girl" for most of my life. When I was younger, Dad worked some weird hours and I didn't get to see him nearly as often as I wanted to. We made up for lost time whenever we got the chance. I used to tape notes on the microwave for him when he got home really late. There was always a note on my pillow the next day.

When I was in elementary school, Dad would help get me ready every day. I loved those mornings. When we had time to kill before the bus came, he'd quiz me on my spelling words or we'd read take turns reading from books I'd gotten from the library.

And no matter how exhausted my dad was on the weekends, he was never too tired to play my favorite board game or go on a "listening walk" with me.

It wasn't until I got to high school when I first began to realize that we didn't really have a lot of money growing up. We had Ramen Noodle for dinner more often than we should have, and I remember asking my parents how much we could spend whenever we went out to eat. But it didn't really matter. I had an amazing childhood because my family was always there to love and support one another.

I really do have the best dad a girl could ask for. Thanks for putting up with me all these years, Dad. I love you!

Quotes

It's late Wednesday night, and I'm just thinking about the kids I work with at the Boys and Girls Club. And I decided that I wanted to share some of their funny quotes with the four or so people who occasionally read my blog.

(That is why there is no quote before the post today).

Me: Okay, third graders, I need everyone to get on Kids College. We're going to spend at least twenty minutes on this website today.
Amira, third grader: Are you serious?!
Me: Very serious.
Amira: That's whack.
Me: Wiggity whack?
Amira: Yeah, really wiggity.

Ciara, third grader: Ms. Alex, would you ever cheat on your fiance?
Me: No, I would never ever even think about it.
Ciara: Why?
Me: Because I care about him very much and I don't want to hurt his feelings.
Ciara: What if he beat you?
Me: ...If he beat me, I wouldn't be with him.
Ciara: Really?
Me: Really.
Ciara: Well, what if he just hit you every once in a while?
Me: ...

Kyra, second grader: Ms. Alex, what are you gonna name your kids?
Me: I'm not going to be having kids for a long time, but I've always liked the name James.
Kyra: My kids' names are gonna be Thunder and Snowflake.
Me: ...That's really nice, sweetie.
Kyra: What about your kids, Iris?
Iris, second grader: Are you kiddin'? I'm not the mother type. There aren't gonna be any kids in this stomach.

*Alex is making up a story for the second graders*
Me: So Kyra, Tamya and Iris decided one day that they wanted to ride the biggest roller coaster at Kings Island. So they all went to the park and got in line for The Beast so they'd all get to ride togeth--
Iris: But the line was too long and they--they had to come back the next day, and then the next day the line was even longer so they said, "We'll just come back tomorrow," ...but then the line was still really long the next day, and so--
Me: Iris, do you mind if I take over?

I just love those little tykes.

FOOTBALL!!!

"I'm a godmother. That's a great thing, to be a godmother. She calls me "God" for short. That's cute. I taught her that."
-- Ellen Degeneres

Woo Superbowl! Packers! Yeah!

I'm clearly kidding. The Superbowl is the one night a year people talk during the actual show and shut up during the commercials. Unfortunately, the ads were severely lacking this year.

For one thing, there were wayyy too many stupid car commercials. Volkswagen was the only exception with this precious little number:

Volkswagen -- "The Force"

And usually at every Superbowl I get really excited every time a Budweiser commercial came on. But they...really weren't that great. Instead, Doritos brought their A-game. They brought their A-game and dominated. My favorite:

Doritos -- "House sitting"

By the way, it was my birthday on Friday. I'm 24. I think I'm starting to wither.