Fundraisings

I HATE fundraising.  It is one thing I avoid at all costs.  I am involved with lots of community events and that is the one committee I will steer clear of.  I just don’t like to call people and ask for money…even if it is for a good cause.  I always dread when the kids bring home the big envelope.  Their eyes grow wide and their imaginations run wild with the thought of all the amazing things they can do with the prizes they are going to win.  They ONLY have to sell 300 pizzas to get a rubber bouncy ball.  I usually nod and then stuff the envelope somewhere so they will forget.  Bad Mom!

I went to pick Kylie up from school one afternoon and as I walked in the door she pulled an envelope out of her backpack and said, “Mom, my school is selling rolls.  Let’s not do that thing we always do…. you know, where we don’t do anything.”  My sister and I had a good laugh over that.  We came home that night and she got right on the phone selling away. She did a great job and I even bought 5 dozen.  They are Texas Roadhouse rolls….how could I resist.

Flashback

For a church activity Kelsey had to dress up like me when I was her age. She had no idea what she was in for.....she first showed signs of concern when I put 3 pairs of socks on her and spent 10 minutes making sure each sock was scrunched just right. I mean proper sock scrunching is really important and a life long skill. Then came the pegging of the pants. She did not think this was a super cool way to get skinny jeans nor did she appreciate wearing jeans that have ZERO elasticity. Just plain old, high waisted, no stretch jeans. Too bad I don't have any acid washed jeans.....that would have been perfect.Next came the hair and we are talking totally rad bangs! She was reluctant about the hair but that soon turned to panic when her father joined in the bang construction process. I had curled her bangs with a small barrel curling iron and was plastering them with hairspray. They are way too long for this kind of style (if you can even call it a style) but with large amounts of hair product I won the battle.

Kenny: I think you need cheap hairspray like Aqua-Net to do bangs like that.

Me: Do they still make Aqua-Net? *continuous stream of hairspray*

Kenny: Or you could use sugar water....

Kelsey: *coughing from the hair spray cloud*

When I was in Jr. High my sisters and I would take our Rave- Super Mega Ultra Not Going Anywhere- hairspray bottle (the pump kind) and fill it with sugar water. We were poor and had to improvise but I am telling you that is the strongest hairspray known to mankind!

I had sufficiently plastered the bangs into place when Kenny suggested I go for the straight up in the air, wave to the side look and then asked where the scrunchy was to cover her side pony tail....Ummmm...okay honey, you are a little too into the whole 80's hair thing.

I crimped her pony tail and I curled the side wispys into ringlets. It was pretty much a work of art. She was mortified and worried about what everyone was going to think. I assured her there would be much worse when we got there. While secretly thinking hers would be the worst, I mean best hairdo there....that's right moms bring it on! No one is beating me unless they have a banana clip!

The whole outfit is kind of a mix of years. I mixed the late eighties and early nineties because I was not about to go buy anything for this so we were working with what we had at home. So we have the eighties hair and pants/socks and the nineties grunge/huge clothes/plaid thing. I remember wearing my dads shirts cause they were so big on me and that was cool for some reason. Kelsey about had a heart attack when I told her to tuck in the shirt. I don't think she has worn a shirt tucked in...EVER. Over all the look is awesome. Notice the look of extreme joy on her face.
HANG TEN

Seriously those bangs are awesome. I can't stop looking at them.

The car ride to the church was hilarious. As soon as I backed out of the driveway she ducked down to the floor because she didn't want anyone to see her.

She was very relieved when we arrived and there were other girls wearing similar hair styles. But NONE of them were as tubular as hers.

Good Bye Cable

HELLO QUIET!!

...and book reading and playing outside and getting ready for school/finishing chores instead of zoning out in front of the tv.

Motherhood - kicked my butt today

You know those day when everything happens all at once? I had one of those today.

Kaiden was sick all night with a fever. I got up this morning trying to decide if I should go to work. It's hard to take a day off because I get so far behind. He seemed to feel fine but I had a nagging feeling I should take him in. I was able to get the doctor to squeeze me in. I was trying to get he and I ready all while dealing with his constant runny diapers. We get to the doctor and find out he has a double ear infection and suspicious sounding lungs. The doctor sent me to get X-rays of his chest. While I am in the waiting room at the Radiology office, Kylie calls to see if I can bring her a change of clothes. She fell in a puddle. I tell her I will get there as soon as I can. I am trying to calculate in my head how to get her clothes, pick Kelsey up and get her to her Ortho appointment, get to the pharmacy and pick up the carpool kids on time. YIKES! I left the house this morning and drove around all day. After the X-ray I ran home to get clothes, took them to Kylie, drove to the Jr. High. Sat for 1/2 hour, went to get Kelsey, drove to the Ortho. Got there and realized Kaiden wet his pants. Good thing I brought a pull up. Changed Kaiden at the Orthodontist office. He was then wearing a shirt, pull up, socks and shoes. No pants. Left the Ortho with only 7 minutes until school let out! Ran to the pharmacy and then to get the kids. I was a few minutes late but at least I made it. When we got home I opened the garage door, got Kaiden out and told him to go inside. I loaded an armful of stuff and headed inside. I shut the garage and started getting stuff done around the house. I didn't see Kaiden so I assumed he went upstairs to the toy room. About a half hour later I was in the living room and I heard a faint cry. I knew it was Kaiden but it sounded muffled. I headed upstairs to check on him and as I was walking toward the stairs I saw him through the window NEXT TO MY FRONT DOOR! He was outside that whole time! I felt terrible. He was crying and cold...remember no pants. Nice! He probably has pneumonia and I locked him outside. At least it was in the 50's today! Motherhood definitely kicked my butt today....and the day isn't even over yet.

Tying a Tie

is NOT one of my talents! My brother Jeff gave a bunch of ties to Kendall. (They are way too big but Kendall love them and is excited to wear them)
I was trying to help him tie it but as you can see, I am not so good.

My first attempt. It does look like a rather nice bow don't you think?


A closer look at my bow.



My second attempt...not pretty.


We finally called in Dad the expert.

Why?

"BECAUSE I'M YOUR MOM AND I SAID SO!"

Tonight I uttered these words. Okay, I didn't utter... it was more like a really loud whisper. I think this phrase comes out when your kids have totally worn you down and exasperated you. Your mind shuts off and you really can't think of an answer. I think I need to pull out my 'Love and Logic" workbook and study!
This comment is right up there with-
If you don't xxxx I will stop this car right now... (and then what?)
Just wait until your dad finds out...
As long as you live under my roof... (I will always sound crazy)
It's funny how these phrases are passed from parent to child, parent to child. They really have no power because if you think about it they are rather silly statements.
When I was a teenager I came up with a theory....parents had kids so they didn't have to do any chores. Now as an parent, I realize that this statement is totally TRUE! Just kidding...but not really....ha ha!
I am getting tired and rambling so I should go to bed....hey that is what started this post to begin with!
Kylie: "Why do I have to go to bed?"
Me: " Because I'm the mom and I said so!"

I can cry if I want to...

Today was one of those days that I just wanted to sit down and cry! I shouldnt be moping because really I have a fabulous life with no worries, but I just had a day. I ran around like crazy at work today and at the end of the day I dont even know what I did. Then I drove to my parents house to get all my kids ( they are helping grandpa plant a garden ) and then rushed to pick up Kaiden so that we would be home in time for Kendall to get his baseball uniform on and catch his carpool ride. I am tearing down my street as his ride is pulling away....GREAT. So he runs in and changes (his pants have grass stains because I didnt have time to wash them), I grab cheese singles, one apple and a red bull for snacks??!! Then we race to the ball park and he is late and we cant find the field. I leave him to start his game alone and I run back to the house, pick up Kelsey, track Kylie down at the neighbors, take her friend with us to the Mystique Theatre. Kelsey is in the musical 'Wizard of OZ' and she had her first meeting. I was planning on dropping her off and picking her up later but they wanted parents there. SHOOT! So I have Kaiden with no shoes on refusing to let go of this huge flannel blanket, Kylie and her friend...Kylie has no shoes on either. We cram into this way too little space to listen to the weirdest man ever talk about the play. I made it about 45 minutes before I left with the younger kids. Kaiden is getting restless and Kylie is being Kylie...enough said. I sit in my car waiting for Kelsey because I think they are almost done. Meanwhile Kendall is at the park texting me that they are getting rained on. I am irritated now that the meeting for the play was such a waste of time. They could have had all the info printed and been done in 15 minutes....i am so busy that I dont have time to listen to this guy talk about magic tricks for one and a half hours!!! ARRRGGHHH . So 45 minutes after I went to the car, Kelsey is done. I run her to the church to go to Young Women's, she is 40 minutes late. Then I drive to Wendy's to grab some chicken nuggets because we cannot survive on a few cheese slices. :) I head to the ball park and hike to the furthest field in soaking wet grass. I sit down in a puddle on the bleachers just as the game ends. SIGH. I am not a good "soccer mom". We trek back across the park with kaiden dragging his blanket the whole way because he wont let me carry him. I get home and it is 8:45 pm. I left work at 4:00 pm! My mom picked Kelsey up from YW to take her to buy a swimsuit for her field trip tomorrow....she had a field trip??? I missed that one. THANK YOU MOM! I put all three kids in the tub and my phone rings. Some stranger has Kendall's cell phone. Apparently he dropped it at the ball field. He tells me I have 10 minutes to pick it up at the park. CLOSE TO TEARS. I call my brother Jeff and beg him to pick it up for me. He does.... YOU ROCK, JEFF. My mom arrives with Kelsey and a swim suit and a jumbo bag of peanut butter M&m's...because she remembers what this stage of life is like. Maybe the chocolate will help.