Saturday, April 23, 2011

laundry

This week was spring break for my kids and myself.  I spent the first two days of break doing load after load after load of laundry.  When the kids "clean" their rooms, anything fabric on the floor goes to the laundry basket.  They know it is easier to do this (since mom will wash, dry, and hang/fold the item) than actually finding a hangar and doing it themselves. 

Even though I caught up on laundry, it did not go off without a hitch.  I completed a load of jackets.  One of my jackets (got for free at my husband's business event years ago) has velcro.  I did not think much of this fact until sitting at Good Friday service at church.  I glanced down at my jacket on the ground and wondered:  "What is all of that white on my dark green jacket?"  It was a stray sock that had attached itself to the velcro!
I'm hoping that no one saw this since the velcro was covered by my hood.  Wouldn't that be a hoot to travel up to communion with a sock attached to your jacket.  I'm the epitomy of classy!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Shopping Is Not Usually My Thing

I do not like shopping in general.  I avoid malls at all costs (probably visit a mall twice a year out of necessity).  I took my two daughters to Kohl's for dress shopping trip #2.  Though I was dreading this task, I have to confess it was fun.  The parking lot was packed (a Saturday afternoon of a good sale . . . duh!).  There was a small line for the dressing room, and we had a bunch to try on.  When a room did open, it was the big corner room.  I informed the girls that in the interest of time, we all three were going in the same one.
One daughter had forgotten to take off her volleyball kneepads from the morning's game.  Really?  Both daughters were at different times so tangled in dress straps, I had to help them out.  One daughter started laughing so hard, she spit all over me.  Both girls needed new shoes--their first pair of heels.
We were at the store for two hours, spent WAY more than I have EVER spent at a clothing store, and had a great time.  When we got home and the girls modeled their dresses for daddy, one of the dresses still had a security tag on it.  Not one to press my luck, I think I'll go back by myself to get that situation remedied.

Teenage Pillow Pets

Last month my older daughter was packing for an overnight Confirmation retreat in our church's activity center.  I am familiar with rules and regulations regarding what will embarrass your children at this age (in short--everything). 
As my daughter was loading her bag and blanket into the car, I noticed she packed her pillow pet that all three of my children wanted for Christmas.  I just smiled at her and said, "And you are worried I am going to embarrass you?"  We both chuckled.

Geniuses Work for AT&T

My husband had AT&T U-Verse installed in our home last summer.  He saw the prototype of it a few years ago at a conference and has waited for it to come to our area since.  When it works, U-Verse is great.  However, we've had a technician out to our house over a half-dozen times.

The biggest issue with our U-Verse being down is that our phone (think 911 service), our internet, and our tv do not work.  It's spring break and raining outside.  Our options for fun at home are limited.
Here's the funny part.  Though I was given a noon to four window for repair, the repair tech shows up at 5:30.  Once our service was re-established, we had two messages from AT&T on our broken house phone (even though I gave tech support my cell phone number--an AT&T cell phone).  The first stated something about "we are calling to confirm that we will have a technician out to your home between noon and four.  Please check our website for more specific details."  Hello!?!?!  What part about my broken phone or internet is difficult to understand?  The second message on our house phone was that the technician would be late.  Didn't get that information either--until after the line was fixed. 

Can You Make E-Z Brownies?

Since our internet, television, and phone was down for 24 hours and since it was raining HARD, I could either clean or bake (we are on Spring Break!).  I chose bake.  I baked three loaves of zucchini bread, a pan of chocolate chip banana bread, and two large cranberry & white chocolate chip scones.  The smells covered last night's bacon odor.  Yum!
My daughter had a friend spend the night.  As I was getting ready to head to bed, she came up and asked me, "Mom, could you make your e-z brownies for us?"  My first reaction was to strangle her--couldn't she see all of the yummy baked goods in our kitchen?!?!  I did relent knowing that there is nothing better for a teenage girl than warm chocolate with icecream on top.  I get brownie points (no pun intended) for my effort, right?

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Unexpected Run

On Monday nights all three of my children have practice at the same time and place.  I try to get a little exercise in while they are running.  Sometimes it is a power walk with one friend.  A couple of times it actually worked out that a running friend and I run a few miles.

Since we are on Spring break, I called to see if she was running.  Unfortunately she wasn't.  Nonetheless, I donned my running clothes and shoes and drove the kids to practice.  There were about 50% less children (like I said--Spring break); they were down a few coaches.  I asked if they needed help and was assigned to bring up the rear for the distance group.
My eighth-grade daughter was mortified when they introduced me as "coach Becky."  (I told her later that it was better than introducing me as "Natalie's Mommy," and she agreed).  The children ran about a mile and a half through the neighborhood.  They took a stretch break, and then they were encouraged to repeat the course.  I could see my daughter looking around for an excuse not to go out the second time.  I told her she could do it--and she did.
This wasn't the run I expected, but it was rewarding.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Spring Break

Technically, spring break started for me at 11:45 Friday.  To celebrate, I left work early to get to an 11:45 dentist appointment.  Since I left early, I didn't get everything done.  So when my appointment was over, I headed back to work to finish cleaning/preparing my classroom.  It took over an hour.  At this point, I decided to hang on just an hour more to drive my son home from school (he's in the same building).  We stopped at Target on the way home to purchase a special "spring break gift"--a tent.  We also stopped at the library to pick up a movie for movie night.  Got home at 4:45.

We ate frozen a cheese pizza for supper before I had to take my older daughter to her friend's house by 5:30.  The twenty-some minite drive there and the twenty minute drive back gave me just enough time to grab a winter coat to head to my son's Munchkin track meet (btw--very cute).  Got home at 8:00.  I promised him a "sleep over," so I got the couch while he slept in his new tent.  I didn't make it to the end of a potentially cute movie (?The Last Mimzy?) before I fell asleep. 

Saturday and today went much the same way.  I'm just wondering when spring BREAK really starts--ha! ha!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Maid

I've basically been a stay-at-home mom who has worked relatively part-time since my children were born (the eldest is 14).  My husband, who USED to travel extensively, did approximately . . . oh . . . 3% of the house and yard work.  Many days I resented this; however, I created this situation and it was job security.  I remember when we were getting ready to send child #1 to kindergarten (we had two girls at the time--with zero plans for the third), my husband turned to me and asked, "Sooooo . . . when will you be looking for something full-time?"

I responded quickly, "Sooooo . . . when are you ready to do 50% of the housework?"  I also reassured him that the first week he doesn't pull fifty percent, I will hire a maid to pick up his slack.  That was eight years ago, and he has never asked me to work more hours.  It works well for our family.
Today I was approached by the school principal if I'd be interested in picking up the afternoon session of our extended day kindergarten which in essence means working full-time.  This is not the field I had hoped, but it is nearly ideal to help ease myself and the family into me working.  When discussing this tonight, my husband replied, "well, we probably should look into getting a maid once a week."  I laughed and informed him that he wasn't traveling anymore.  No reason he couldn't roll his sleeves up.

To be honest, this potential transition will be much easier on me than on my husband.  Am I a bad person for giggling just thinking about it?


Friday, April 1, 2011

hair and hats

As much as I really dislike cold weather, there is one perk.  I don't have to do anything to my hair at 6:00 a.m. when I'm headed out for a morning run. 
My ear warmers hide the spectacle I call my bed head.  I have got to suffer from this more than 95% of all people since I have short, naturally curly hair and obviously toss and turn on my head all night.  Only a total soaking with water can semi-tame my mane--unless it is cold and I can just plop on my headgear!