Back to School Slacker

Monday is the official first day of school and I'm excited to get everyone back on a routine. Only problem is- I haven't done any back to school shopping for my kids. I have been shopping here and there for my "stepson" who leaves for college tomorrow. What you say- stepson? Well, there is a young man from my husband's high school that we've become very close with and have taken him as our "stepson". This young man has had a really rocky childhood and when he joined my husband's cross country team a couple years ago, my husband saw a really good kid with great potential. Jeff worked really hard with him last school year and helped him get accepted in college. Jeff even found a lot of financial aid and scholarships to help pay for most everything. Plus we told him we'd buy him what he needed for school. So while my "oldest" is ready for college this Saturday, my other babies are not quite as ready.

Paige and I have been looking online for the perfect book bag. She likes using totes and the one she used last year is totally destroyed beyond belief. It was a free tote that I picked up from Bath and Body Works and she took it for herself. I've tried to fix it but it's not salvageable. She found the perfect tote but they were out of it online so I am taking her to the store to see if they happen to have it there. She only needs a few things to start out. I did find some shirts and socks for Jeffrey M at Target. He has a lot of shorts from spring that should still fit him. He really just needs shoes. I'm hoping to get to the outlet mall tonight to get things started. Me and all the other slacker mom's that wait until the day before school starts to go shopping!!

A Day At the Park

Yesterday was my big vacation. We took the kids to a nearby amusement park for the day. The weather was nice, the park isn't very big, and Jeffrey M was tall enough for all but three rides. We met two other families there and everyone had a buddy. There weren't even that many fights, though I did lose it at the end when we were trying to leave. Too many "just one mores" were coming out of mouths and I was all parked out.

Morning came too soon. Jeff Allen had teacher in-service today and it's the count down to back to school. I still have not gone school shopping and will probably only have tonight or tomorrow to do anything. Just too much to cram into this month!

A Working Man's Vacation

My husband is on his way home from Chicago. He left on Friday morning and will probably roll in around 9:30 pm est. We missed having him around, but not his messes. There were no piles of dirty clothes on the bathroom floor, the counters were clean and crumb free, and no one had to wait to use the bathroom. Still, it was quiet and we all felt something was missing.

This is the last week of summer vacation. Jeff jokes and says he's on a working man's vacation. I have no sympathy for him! I am hoping to get the kids back on schedule as they start class next Monday. Paige insists that I start waking her up at 5:30 am. It never happens! She doesn't go to sleep early enough and seriously waking up that early is beyond me.

Tuesday we are going to an amusement park with a couple of families. This is our family vacation. Oh well. The kids are excited and that's all that matters. It's suppose to be hot - thank goodness for water rides!!!

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to....

Saturday was my birthday. And boy did I ruin it for everyone. I was in such a horrible mood- later found it due to that time of the month. But I just couldn't be happy or pleased. My kids and Jeff planned a whole day of activities that started with them getting me a bike. Of course I didn't like the style of bike and that just set the mood. I was excited and happy that they bought me it, and I tried to just pretend it was too big for me, but I'm not a good actress. Then they took me to play miniature golf. Not my thing and of course it was a million degrees. All I kept thinking was that I really wanted to be at the pool.

After mini golf they took me to eat at Quaker Steak and Lube. Except I really don't eat wings and never can find anything on the menu. My husband wanted to try the Atomic Wing Challenge and they were having some sort of festival. You have to eat 6 wings to beat the challenge- Jeff was only able to eat 2 wings. And the festival wasn't really geared toward children. So we came home and I felt battered and bruised.

Sunday Jeff really let me have it. He said it made him sad that they planned this whole day and I was miserable and they could tell. He felt bad because he spent a lot of time searching for a bike for me and he said I ridiculed it. I didn't. I took a picture of it and sent it to my friend. I had a feeling they were getting me a bike and I said to my friend he'll probably pick out the one and only style I don't like. And sure enough he did. It's a nice bike, but it's a touring bike and I wanted a mountain bike. It rides nice, but it feels like the wheels are too big and the handle bar is too small.

I feel horrible. I enjoyed being with my family, but I couldn't shake my bad mood. This morning I bawled my eyes out in the shower.

What is wrong with me!!!

Time off....

Taking a couple more days off from blogging. Need time off...be back soon.

Dubi-Dub's Back

When my son was little, he had an imaginary friend. His name was Dubi-dub. They were inseparable. We were all courteous of him, he'd only been sat on a couple times that we know of! But then we stopped hearing Jeffrey talk about or to him. It seemed he was gone and we all missed our friend.

A couple days ago, Jeff and I were alone in the car and I heard him talking. I thought he was talking to me but when I asked him to speak up he said I'm talking to Dubi-Dub.

Welcome back old friend!

Shaving,Weddings,and insanity!

Tuesday I woke up with a fever and horrible earache. I pretty much slept the day away and Wednesday wasn't much better. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get into the doctor's until Thursday. It was just a buildup of wax and fluid and by Friday evening I was good to go.

Friday I worked a half day as my nephew was getting married on Saturday. On my way home from work, my daughter calls to ask me something. Luckily, I had stopped at the bank to deposit my paycheck and was sitting in the parking lot when I took the call. I knew I was going to hear something big when she started out the conversation-

P- Mom, I need to ask how you would feel about something.
Me- Okkkaaay???
P-What do you think about me shaving my legs?
M- Well, your dad and I haven't really thought about when you should start shaving or discussed anything.
P- Oh. ( Real quiet). I uh, shaved them this morning. I didn't get cut. Are you mad???
M- (Real quiet). No, I'm just surprised. I'm glad you didn't get cut. I kinda would have liked to be there to talk to you about shaving before you actually did it.
P- Are you mad? I'm sorry! Is daddy going to be mad?
M- No I'm not mad and I don't think daddy is going to be either.

After that I just drove home in shock! Her other friends started shaving their legs and I guess she felt she should too. I'm just nervous that she fell into her own little peer pressure. My husband doesn't think shaving her legs is going to lead to a life of crime, but it just made me nervous. I don't care that she shaved her legs, though I think this could have waited a few more years. It's just she getting closer to being a teen and I don't want her following the crowd and doing things because her friends are doing things. Maybe I'm just reading too much into this - we'll see.

Saturday Jeff's nephew got married. It was bittersweet as he was only 4 yrs old when we started dating and it's rather hard to see him grow into a man and get married. But it was a great wedding and a lot of fun.

Back to the grind today. And it's not looking good so far!!