School Play

My kids don't have school tomorrow. Again. I don't know what the excuse reason is this time. I think we are celebrating the last Friday in January.

My kids came off the bus today very excited about being able to stay up a little later tonight and they asked if we could go to the school play tonight after dinner. Grades 3-6 are putting on "Peter Pan" or as my 6 year old calls it, "The Tinkerbell Movie."

I love going to the theater. I have even been to a Broadway show once. But a play starting kids in third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades is really meant just for the parents to enjoy. I didn't want to go. I told the kids that I didn't think we would have enough time tonight. My 7 year old had basketball and that would rush dinner if we had to leave the house again by 6:45. But the kids were almost finished eating dinner at 6:20. They still wanted to go. Reluctantly, I agreed.

Then my 7 year old suddenly no longer wanted to go. Hallelujah When I asked him why not, he told me that he never called his friend to make sure that his friend was going too. My 6 year old said that one of his friends would be there. My 7 year old thought about it and wanted to go again. And he wanted to bring his Pokemon cards. My 6 year old wanted to bring a sleeping bag.

I explained that we would be going to see a play, not to play. We would not be bringing Pokemon cards, sleeping bags or anything else. We would sit in seats and watch the performance.

Silence.

Then my 7 year old said, "Then I don't want to go."

Whew! Neither did I.

A New State

Tonight at dinner my 7 year old asked me, "Mom, is onion a state?"

"Onion is a vegetable, not a state," I said. I thought he knew that already.

"Then why does the TV say it is?"

I looked at the TV. The president was giving his State of the union address, not state of the onion.

A New Word

Yesterday my 6 year old said to me, "Mom, I thought of a new word."

"What's that, honey?" I asked.

"Later" he said.

"Later?" I repeated. "I think that's already a word."

"Noooooo, not later. Later!" my 6 year old insisted.

"How do you spell that?" I asked.

"L-a-d-e-r" he said.

"Oh. What does that mean?"

"It's a boy who screams like a lady!" he told me.

It seems like my kids' are learning new words every day.

Not A Good Idea

Today we went to a gym at an old elementary school for my second grader's basketball practice. Outside of the gym was a group of teenage boys with skateboards. Two were on the steps and one was climbing a tree next to the steps. He had a video camera in the tree. It looked like the setting for an "America's Funniest Videos" clip.

As we get closer my 5 year old noticed what was going on. He pointed at the teenagers and said loudly, "Mom, that isn't a good idea, is it?"

I had to agree with him. I hurried my kids into the gym quickly.

Next lesson will have to be "minding your own business."

This proud parent moment is brought to you by your local YMCA boys basketball association.

A Used TV Salesman

Before I start today's post, I wanted to follow up on yesterday's post. I took my 6 year old to the pediatrician (he wasn't even the cute pediatrician!). My son has strep throat. After the pediatrician's office we stopped by the grocery store to fill his prescription. The way my 6 year old was running up and the aisles shooting his brother with an imaginary machine gun, you would never guess that he was sick. But that's what the pediatrician said. I should have asked to see the test results myself. After a day's worth of antibiotics my son was able to go to school this morning. Yay!

A Used TV Salesman... That's me. When I was a little girl and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said, "an astronaut" or "a scientist" or "rich and famous." I never dreamed that I would be a TV salesman. Make that a used TV salesman. But somehow that is what I've become. Or rather, that is what my husband has turned me into. (Yes, it's always his fault.)

In the last few months Mr. Cookie has started a new hobby. He likes fixing broken TV's. First he just wanted a nice TV for the family room. Something to replace the dinosaur that we've had for the last 13 years or so. He found a cheap broken one and thought it was worth a try to fix it. So he got it and fixed it. We kept it in the family room for a while. Then he found another broken one that he wanted to try fixing. The second one was bigger and better. He fixed it and we used it for a while. Now we have 10 TV's in our house. 10 TV's?!

For the last month or so I've been asking if we could sell any of these TV's that are springing up like wild mushrooms out of the carpet. He always had an excuse some reason for keeping each one. But last night he finally agreed to sell one. The big one. The biggest one we own. But he left the selling part to me. I took the picture. I created the craigslist posting. I answer the emails of interested buyers. So I have become a used TV salesman.

If you're interested in getting a pre-owned television, step right up, because I have a deal for you! And if you call in the next 15 minutes I'll also throw in this lovely remote control too!

Starting the Day Off Right

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. My kids have no school today. We started the day off right by doing some homework that we were too lazy to do all weekend. My 7 year old is really into the "Captain Underpants" series. Part of his homework is to read any book he wants for 20 minutes. He read "Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman." (I'm so proud of him!) As he was reading he looked up and said, "This is so funny it says 'shut your pie hole.' What does that mean?"

Now I have to wonder, "why does he think it's funny if he doesn't know what it means?"

I told him that "pie hole is not-so-nice way to say mouth." He wasn't impressed and kept on reading. Another important vocabulary lesson completed.

My 5 year old started the day by vomiting in the toilet.

What a great way to start the day.

The Rain

It's January and I live in Seattle. That means it rains. Every day. Yesterday the sun came out and teased us for about thirty minutes. Then the deluge started. As I've mentioned before, I'm not from Seattle. I did not grow up with a rainy season. In Seattle only tourists carry umbrellas. I am still a tourist. I carry my umbrella even in a drizzle.

To appear busy, the weather reporters show when you can expect light rain, medium rain, supersized rain or even rain and wind. This morning was supersized rain. The kind where you get soaked in 2.9 seconds. The kind where your kids get wet from the top down and from the bottom up at the same time. Lovely.

My kids were born in New Jersey. We moved here 4 years ago when they were 2 and 3 years old. They don't remember New Jersey. They think they were born here. They act like they were born here. They don't mind the rain.

This morning at the bus stop in the supersized rain I had my umbrella. It's not a wimpy $5 Walmart umbrella. Mine is a giant Seattle-tourist-sized golf umbrella. I can fit an entire T-ball team under my umbrella. (Yes, I've done it. Twice.) But, my kids wanted no part of my umbrella. They would rather be in the rain. I watched them play. They acted like they didn't even notice the rain. True Seattleites.

I wonder how many more years before I stop noticing the rain?

The Focused Dermatologist

Yesterday I went to the dermatologist. I chose this dermatologist because his office is close to my house, he takes my insurance and he had appointments available before next year.

I needed to two moles removed close to my shoulder at the base of my neck. The nurse came in and set me up with a lovely bib. Then the doctor came in. He got all comfy on his stool and got to work. Then he started talking. But he wasn't talking to me. (Not that I was in the mood for conversation.) He asked the nurse to phone in a prescription to the pharmacy for his wife. He gave the details of the prescription and then talked a little about her cold sores. Nice to know that he was focusing on his work, which at that moment was me.

Today I have a band aid on my neck. I'm a little embarrassed to go in public. I wonder how many people will giggle when they see me. Heck, if I saw a lady my age who looked like she was trying to cover up hickeys, I would giggle too!

Times Are Tough

Yesterday my 6 year old lost a tooth at school. He was very excited to show me the tooth in his hand as he ran off the bus.

He went to bed last night and the tooth fairy came. She left $1 under his pillow.

This morning my son wasn't very excited about the money. He handed me the $1 bill and said, "Mom, is this fake?"

He hadn't seen such a crisp dollar bill before. Or maybe the economy is finally taking it's toll on the tooth fairy?

A Note

Last night when I tucked my 6 year old into bed, he stuck his tongue out at me.

I told him, "Be careful. Someone might come along and pour hot sauce on that tongue if it's sticking out like that."

He thought for a minute and then came up with a solution, "I'll just make a sticky note that says, 'Do not pour hot sauce here.'"

I couldn't help but giggle and never bother to ask exactly where he was going to stick that sticky note.

$15 Per Lesson

Around Thanksgiving my son's school had another a fundraiser. They were selling poinsettias. this time. The poinsettias were $15 each, cash only. I didn't have $15 exact cash to send in right away. But after a few days I sent the envelope back with enough money to buy one plant.

I waited for the first week of December to get my plant. The first week of December came and went. Then the second week came and week. And then the third. Winter break had started and I never got my plant.

I contacted the lady who was in charge of the fundraisers. She forwarded me to the lady who was handling this specific fundraiser. My envelope was never received. She suggested that I check with the teacher.

I checked with the teacher. She doesn't remember seeing the envelope and it's not in the classroom now. She suggested that I check with my son.

My son insists that he handed it in.

It's gone. No poinsettia this year. And no $15.

$15 Lesson Learned. Do not send cash in an envelope to school.



Just a note here, I do not believe there was any wrong doing by any of the teachers, staff or the fundraising committee. I know how things get lost and turn up 6 months later when they clean out for summer. I also wonder who else was watching that envelope since it was clearly marked on the outside how many plants were ordered and how much money was inside.

They're Gone

My kids went back to school today. I'm ready to start singing "Free Fallin" by Tom Petty.

Part of me feels like a bad mother when I say that I am happy to send my kids to school and have the days to myself.

Then I look around at my friends, other moms who were not counting the days until resumed. I wonder what makes them better mothers.

Most of them work outside of the home. I used to know a few other moms who were home during the day, but not anymore. They have returned to work. I have not. I did work for a little while after my kids were born. Working does have good and bad points. Earning money is good. Interacting with other adults is good. Being up all night with a teething baby after having been at work all day and knowing that you have to return at 7am is not so good. Missing out on your kids "firsts" isn't so good either.

Most of my friends also have family nearby. During the winter break, my friends were able to drop their kids at their relative's house for at least one night. They also had family gatherings during the winter break. The kids were given a chance to play with cousins and were spoiled by grandparents. My nearest relative is in Detroit. I am in Seattle. So there were no family gatherings or sleeping at a relative's house for my kids.

The other moms who were counting down the days had breaks from their kids. They did not endure the 18 days like I did. 18 days home, with no plans and miserable weather. 18 days of refereeing. 18 days of whining.

I am glad the kids are back in school not just for the break that it gives me. But also, the kids need a break too. The need a break from me. They need a break from boredom. They need to be with their friends and teachers again.

Now I have 18 days worth of chores and errands to catch up on.

One More Day

Today is Monday January 4th. Most people are returning to work today after the New Year's break. Most kids are returning to school today after a long winter break.

Not my kids. They are off from school again today. Not for snow. It was a scheduled day off. I can't answer "why?" I think it's a cruel joke by the school.

One more day and things will be back to "normal."