September Has Thrown Me Into A Tizzy

So yea, I'm feeling a bit like a chicken with no head these days. I'm missing the lazy days of summer because since school started, I feel like I'm somewhat out of sync. Our routine is beginning to come together, but we just aren't quite there yet. Actually, I'm not quite there.

I'm feeling a tad overwhelmed.

Three kids in school, one still only half days. Getting up early and starting the day with no one getting out of bed and, "Eat, get dressed, brush your teeth, move it, MOVE IT, MOOOOOVE IT!" Making lunches, paperwork, homework, paperwork, tests, paperwork, projects, and more freaking paperwork!

I'm also watching a classmate of R.'s, two days a week. I'm doing so just for a little extra cash, because honestly, we can use it. VERY sadly, I've closed shop on my business, Doodle Kids®. I couldn't justify the expense any longer. It was the hardest decision to make. I worked SO hard on it for five years. Since the economy has taken a nosedive, my business just wasn't making it. I'm heartbroken. I hope to take a different approach with it in the future, but I'll need to regroup and revamp.

In the meantime, I wish there were a way for me to make some extra cash from home. I know ALL of those work from home opportunities are scams...but sometimes, they just look so tempting. Is anyone out there legitimate anymore? sigh.

I have taken on a school project. I have decided to chair a new program our school is participating in. It's the PTA Reflections contest. It is a national arts competition and I think it's fantastic! If your school doesn't do this, here is a link to their website.

The arts are extremely important to me. I feel they don't get their fair share in our children's education. This program tries to encourage children to express themselves through their art. I was so excited to learn that our elementary school would be involved in this.

As it's our first year, I will be the guinea pig. I'll be finding out how to make it work. What to do and how to do it. It's a big chunk of pie on my plate. I'm thinking, once I get the hang of it, it's going to be so rewarding. This is so up my alley.

But first? I need to weed through it all.....and find that darned head of mine.

Take Us Back In Time Tuesday - 9/22/09

I have THE most adorable picture for you this week! I was so excited to share it with you, my dear readers. It is one of my most favorite of photos.

I went to my special photo album. I flipped through it's pages, ever so carefully. "Ah-Ha! There it is!" I shouted out loud.

I carefully removed the image from it's protective sleeve, making sure to hold only the edges, so as to avoid smudges and fingerprints.

But then I remembered this article.

So, unfortunately, this is all you're getting.......



Seriously, Walmart? WTF?!
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Well, That Didn't Take Long!

I received R.'s first phone call home from the teacher. Already. Yup, I knew the day would come, I just didn't expect it to be so soon.

R., though very feisty, can also be quite the scaredy cat. She can be clingy with me when faced with a new situation or with new people. Once she sees that she is safe, she warms up quite quickly. But until the thaw has begun? She wants no part of anything.

A prime example was Kindergarten orientation. She cried. She clung. She refused to go to school. When the children lined up with their new teacher to be taken on a tour, she begged for me to go. I walked along with her to her classroom and stopped at the door. She went right in and that was that. She came back skipping and waving.

She continued going to school every day with a smile on her face. Then on Thursday, R. got the rug pulled out from underneath her tiny body.

The teacher's voicemail explained that a new student had joined their class and R. became extremely upset.

My brow furrowed.

Mrs. C. said that R. was crying and saying that she did not want this new student in their class. She wouldn't eat her snack. "She's quite the stubborn little thing!" The teacher went on to say.

"SEE?! No one believes me!" I thought to myself. That petite, sweet angel. Yea, until you piss her off!

Apparently, the teacher got a load of my darling daughter's willpower. She wouldn't stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance and glared at the teacher when she told her to get up. She didn't want to go to gym class. She didn't want to participate in circle time. She didn't want to budge from her chair.

She was petrified of this new child and how a monkey wrench was thrown into her now comfortable existence in Kindergarten.

When she came home from school we discussed what had happened. She is very perceptive and understood everything that we talked about. The conversation went very well and I was convinced that everything had been smoothed over.

The next morning she awoke happily, bounced down the stairs, and plopped on the couch. I told her she needed to get dressed for school.

"Oh, I'm not going to school today," she answered.

"Um, yes, you are," I replied.

"Will HE be there?"

"Of course."

"Then I'm not going. Someone was absent yesterday. So you can be absent. I am going to be absent today."

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I knew the next hour was going to be a nightmare but I also found it quite amusing that she had figured this all out. I dug my heels in and after a small battle we headed out the door to school.

I had written the teacher a note and told her that I would actually be in the school for about an hour that day for Library duty. If she needed me, I had my cell phone.

I must have checked that cell phone a few dozen times. No calls.

Upon picking her up, R. came out, with a huge grin on her face. I got a thumbs up from Mrs. C. and I stopped holding my breath.

R. pointed to a rather large boy in the line of children. "That's him mommy. He's nice."

I looked over and it became perfectly clear to me WHY R. had been so shaken up. This child was the size of a 2nd grader. He towered over R. and reminded me of a very young Moose from the Archie comics.

Maybe she can hire him as her bodyguard, that way she'll ALWAYS feel safe!

Why Do The Girls Always Get The Crappy End Of The Deal?

I was helping R. get ready for school the other day. She was tired and not very motivated. I grabbed her clothes and told her I would help her get dressed.

"Why are you getting me dressed?" She asked.

"Well, you seem to need a little help this morning."

She began to wiggle and be less than cooperative as I tried to put her dress over her head.

"C'mon R.! Mommy's getting too old for this!"

She giggled.

"That's funny?" I giggled back. "Will you let me come live with you when I'm really old?"

"Yes, mommy!!"

"You might have to help ME get dressed." I said.

"I will!"

Suddenly I heard T. shout from his bedroom, "Mom, you can come live with me!"

"Awwwww!" I thought to myself. My boy loves his mama!

"Really, T.? I can? You'll take care of me? Make me dinner? Take me to doctor's appointments? Help me find my teeth?"

He laughed and said, "YES!!"

"You'll even change my diaper?"

Silence.

"You know what? You can go live with R."

Take Us Back In Time Tuesday - 9/15/09

I was 20 years old when I first saw the man I wanted to make babies with. The year was 1987. I was instantly enamored with his chiseled good looks. His voice made me swoon. And when he took off his shirt to reveal that body.

shiver.

This week's Take Us Back In Time Tuesday photo is not my own. But I strongly feel it is appropriate.

Patrick Wayne Swayze
August 18, 1952 - September 14, 2009

This is the man that stole my heart during his performance in the movie Dirty Dancing. "Johnny" was THE sexiest man I had ever laid my eyes on.

I fell even harder when he took up pottery in 1990's Ghost. I cry every time I watch that movie.

Patrick Swayze was my heartthrob and yesterday, he was taken away. My prayers are with his wife and family.

"The love inside, you take it with you"

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In Memory - September 11, 2001

We have come to the 8th year since that fateful day. That is more years, than two of my children, have celebrated birthdays. And like on the days that they were born, I remember ever minute detail, as though it were yesterday.

I wrote about what I was doing when I heard the news. You can read that post here.

My heart always feels heavy on this day. I feel sorrow for those that were lost and the families that lost them. That day changed many of the ways I look at things. It changed me.

I had a hard time dealing with the aftermath, as many Americans did. I was paranoid. I was scared. I had been trying to conceive my second child and now, I wasn't so sure I wanted to proceed. Did I want to bring another child into this world?

I didn't know what to do with myself. I needed to work through it. As I am a creative person by nature, I began to search for photos on the Internet. I then compiled them into a photo memorial that I set to music.

The first time I watched it in it's entirety, I cried. And cried.

I released my pent up anxiety. And then I got pissed. I wasn't going to let them win. I pulled up my Granny panties and flipped them the finger.

I now watch my video every year on this date. I have saved copies for my children. I would like to share it with you.

(YouTube wouldn't allow me to upload it as one video. I have broken it down into each section. I also want to apologize for the quality.)

Part 1 shows the devastation of that day; the reactions and the mourning. It also shows how the world banded together to offer support.

Part 2 is a memorial of many of the lives lost.



Part 3 is a montage of artwork from children. Through this art and their eyes you can see how September 11 affected them. (Again, I apologize as the music is a bit shaky.)



And finally, Part 4 is a dedication to all of the Police, Firemen, Military, and Medical Personnel that risked their lives to do what they do best.

We Will Never Forget!

Studying Woes

It's only one week into the new school year and I'm frazzled. W. has now entered the 6th grade. He's playing with the big kids now.

W. is naturally smart. He received 4 A's and 1 B as his average grades, in his primary subjects, last year. He didn't put in a whole lot of effort. I did...but he, unfortunately isn't one to go above and beyond. If it's not fun, he doesn't want to do it.

Studying and homework can be a battle.

It's frustrating because with even the slightest bit of elbow grease, he'd really do exceptionally well. But his philosophy has been, "Why bother? I do well enough this way."

And yes, he does. I'm not a stickler for grades. I, of course, want my children to do well. This world requires that if you want to live comfortably in adulthood. But I am not one to insist on straight A's or face my wrath. I just want you to do the best that you can.

And I know he CAN do better. He CAN break a sweat once in a while. Because everything comes to him so easily, he's gotten lazy. I try to explain to him that he needs to improve his work ethic because though he has done well in the past, as he progresses through middle school, things are going to get harder. Things may not come as easily to him. He may actually have to....shall I say the word....STUDY!

Gasp!

The work load has increased tremendously. He already has four quizzes on the schedule. FOUR! I spent last night making up mock tests (on www.easytestmaker.com - great site!). I don't mind helping him prepare but how much is too much? I already went through school and I feel like I'm doing it again.

Do any of you have middle school or older kids? I'm going through this for the first time. Does anyone have any studying advice?

I have to figure something out....I've got to do this two more times!!! I'm not sure my heart can take it.

Take Us Back In Time Tuesday - 9/8/09

Today I'm going to take you back one year. As most moms do, I take pictures of my children on their first day of school.

Now mind you, they usually aren't the best shots. It's hard to stand still and smile when you are a bundle of happy, excited, anxious nerves.

I know, as I grab my camera, that I'll only be able to fire off two clicks. For each of them. If I'm lucky.

So, here is W., T., and R. (in that order) on the first day of 5th grade, Kindergarten, and Preschool, respectively, for the 2008-2009 school year.



After they all left for school, I made a huge mistake. I uploaded their new photos into my computer and compared them to the above photos.

WHERE.THE.HELL.DID.MY.BABIES.GO?!!!!

I wanted to cry. Alright, so maybe I did...just a little. So WHAT?!!! You got a problem with that?!

Ahem.

But would you look at him?! He's gone from a cute little boy to more of a...a....young MAN!! *sniff.

And he's gotten so much taller. *sniff. sniff.

AND OH NO!!! My baby girl isn't so much a baby anymore. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!


I can't believe what 365 days will do. Instead of Taking You Back In Time, I wish I could just pause it for a while.

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Say 'Ello to My Little Friend

R. can NOT keep a secret. This comes in quite handy for me, as I can't always be the fly on the wall, watching all that my children do.

I can always count on my daughter to spill the beans because she likes to talk and talk and talk.

Our best friends have a set of twins that are six years old. The boy, L. and my T. are the closest of buddies. And the girl, S., and R. are BFFL.

Recently, out of the blue, R. said to me, "Mom, did you know that L.'s best friend is his weinis?"

"WHAT?!"

"Yes, his best friend is his weinis! S. told me so!"

Oh boy.

"What made S. say that?"

"Yesterday she asked L. to show me and T. his best friend......."

OH.GOD.HERE.IT.COMES

"....and he pulled down his zipper and showed us his weinis!"

She then giggled.

Fantastic.

So, I had the privacy talk with T. and R. again. I tried not to make a big deal out of it because I know kids are just being kids. They thought it was funny. They were kind of right.

But now I had to tell my best friend.

"E. now don't get upset, I don't want you to freak out......" I then told her the story.

Her mouth dropped open and she fell back onto her bed. She was shell shocked.

I laughed and told her it was perfectly normal. She has three daughters and only one son. I've been telling her for years that boys and girls are entirely different. She never believed me.

I think she does now.

Kleptomania Is Not Necessarily Hereditary

When I was about ten or eleven years old, I got caught shoplifting. I know, I KNOW, I hear your gasps.

My parents were not the type to buy something for you, "Just Because". Unless it was your birthday or Christmas, you didn't even THINK to ask my dad for an item in a store. You kept your mouth shut.

One day, there I was, browsing the make-up counter at JCPenney, when a shiny, pink lip gloss caught my eye. I had no money. I knew pops wouldn't spring for it. And I really, really NEEDED it. What was a preteen girl to do?

I looked around, I'm sure in a completely obvious fashion, and cupped that lovely tube of beauty in my hand. It fit perfectly and it didn't even look like I had anything in my hand!!

Then I did what any normal girl would do, I waltzed out of the store with my grandma, brother, sister, and parents acting as though I didn't have a care in the world.

Can you say, "STOOOOOOOPID?!!"

You should have seen the look on my grandma's face when a security guard grabbed my arm and then hers. "Ma'am is the child with you?!"

Long story short, I was in BIIIIIG trouble.

I was reminded of this moment in my life yesterday. I took W. to Staples to drop a load of cash on some school supplies. While I was waiting on the checkout line, that was about eleventy-hundred people deep, with a thousand ton shopping basket digging into my already bruising arm, he walked up with a handful of markers.

"Mom, can I get these?"

"No." I answered. I had been adding his supplies in my head and wasn't even sure if I had enough money for them. I certainly wasn't going to add nonessentials to my basket.

"PLEEEEEEASE?!" He begged.

They were the kind of markers that are in a display. The ones that are sold individually. The ones that probably cost about $4.99 EACH. I think he had about eight of them in his greedy little mitts.

"NO! Please put them back where you found them."

My mind flashed back to me at his age.

"Oh, No He'd better NOT!" I thought to myself.

I looked around the store. Half of the people from our town were walking around with their own supply lists . I stood there and imagined what kind of scene that would be! We'd have to move. Change our names........

W. came back and stood on line with me. I stared at him. My eyes bore holes in his flesh. I tried to see if he showed any signs of stress. I looked down at his pockets to see if they were bulging at all.

"Did you put them back?" I asked, almost accusingly.

"Yea."

"Where you found them?"

"Yea, mom."

I was skeptical.

As we were paying, a lady walked through the exit doors. The alarm went off because the cashier forgot to deactivate that little thingy they put on large ticket items.

I started to sweat. My thoughts raced in my head, "That's going to be us isn't it? The whole town will think I'm a bad mother!"

As we went through the exit doors, I winced.

And because I can't let anything go, I turned to W. and said, "You put those markers back, right? They aren't in your pocket or anything, RIGHT?!"

He looked at me like I was the freak that I am and said, "Yea, mom! I wouldn't do that! Besides that alarm would have gone off if I did!"

Heh.

You keep fearing that alarm, baby....FEAR IT!

Take Us Back In Time Tuesday - 9/1/09

This week's Take Us Back In Time Tuesday post is not one photo, but a series of photos. This montage will reveal the type of child my baby brother was. It also explains a LOT about the man he has become.

The photo below was taken on Easter of 1980. Please note the identical dresses my sister, K. (on the left) and I are wearing. We are only eleven months apart, my mother dressed us as though we were twins. My sister always got pink. I always got blue. I guess I was too much of a tomboy to wear pink.

When I first looked at this photo, I wondered how long my parents made us squint in the sun. How many shots did it take to get this one image?


Look at the poor boy's expression! The glare is so bright he can't even keep his eyes open!


In the same album, I came across another photo. Once again, my siblings and I are outside posing, this time for my sister's 8th grade graduation. The sun seems to be behind the clouds. I consider this a good thing. I think if the sun HAD been out that day, those flowers on my sister's slipcover comforter dress would have bloomed right off of her.

So, an overcast day and YET? Still THAT face. You can almost hear him saying, "Cheeeeeese!"

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