Summer O'Fun Day 8 (2008)

We spent the morning going to Costco. I needed gas (it was 12 cents cheaper per gallon than the Shell station near my home) and to stock up in stuff for our 4th of July party. Of course I don't know what I was thinking, or rather NOT thinking, because I missed about 8 things on my list so it looks like I will have to go back later in the week.

This afternoon, we made Rose Art Super Shrink Art - (aka Shrinky Dinks though I guess that is a brand-name). The kids had a blast drawing and I got a super huge kick out of watching them shrink in the oven (they had lost interest at that point but thoroughly enjoyed the outcome). I guess you can use the plastic that berries come in for shrink art too but I haven't tried that yet.

Boy for someone having a blog identity crisis, I am sure posting enough!

Today was HOT! I awoke with a migraine and spent much of the day in bed with the window air conditioner on. The kids slept in our room last night as it was the only cool room in the house. It seems a little cooler this evening so they are sleeping in their own beds with fans blowing on them. Let's hope that they sleep. Their windows are only cracked about 4" because I still worry they might fall out of them. I could probably let Jax open his a little more but then if I do that then Cars will demand that his be opened more too and then it will become a power struggle. The problem with Cars and Dex's room too is that their window has a window seat so it would be much more likely that they would fall out the window than would Jax. And, theirs is a straight drop down whereas Jax would fall unto a bit of the roof of the laundry room, and then perhaps roll off down to a one story drop. It is 2 stories from Dex and Cars' room.

Anyway, so hopefully it will cool right down tonight and hopefully I will not need to run the gazillion fans in the house.

More New Pez

I've added some new PEZ dispensers to my collection lately. There are new Batman Pez, probably because of the new movie. Anyway, the heads on them are huge. I am surprised that they do not topple over.



So now I have 4 variations of Batman Pez. The oldest one says "Made in Yugoslavia", the middle two were "Made in Slovenia" (so they were manufacturered after 1991). The newest one is "Made in China" (I am guessing that all new Pez dispensers are made there - I need to look that up). The oldest one also has feet so I know it was made after 1986.



This is the one that came out approximately the time when George Clooney was Batman. Take a close look - this Batman has Clooney's lips! It also had wicked pointy ears - dangerous for kids!



I also saw these "Pirates of the Carribean" Pez for the first time today. The Jack Sparrow one is spot on! Will Turner looks nothing like him and Davy Jones was a CGI character in the movie so not hard to make the Pez look like him.

Summer O'Fun Day 7 (2008)

Today, we were to meet a group of families from the food allergy group support/info group that I belong to at a park but there was some confusion about where exactly we were to meet and no way to identify anyone in the group. In the end we ended up chatting briefly with a couple of families. The area of the park we were in was PACKED (a new "water feature" was recently added and since it was hot today, eleventy billion people showed up) so we left. Hopefully we can meet with some families again sometime and that things might be a little more organized.

I do not post much on that board much since I found out that Jax's psychologist is a member. In fact, he posted on there yesterday (well, I am 99% sure it is him since only he signed only his first name but he suggested that children with anxiety can benefit from seeing a child psychologist and using biofeedback to teach calming techniques). I did, however, post a couple of weeks ago asking for opinions about what to do about Music Teacher and am very grateful for the advice that I received. But I am second guessing my decision to post, knowing that he has read it. What to do... hmmm... Hope he isn't reading here too! =:o

It is funny because part of me wants to be anonymous and of course part of me doesn't. Most of the people who read this "know" me online from a stay-at-home mom's forum that I started posting at in '00. Then of course Ramona reads here as I gave her the link and I gave it to one of my brother's too. The second brother found it accidentally when I forwarded something to him that had my blahg link it it (my 3rd brother does not read here and nor does my sister thankfully because then I would have a lot of editing to do). ;) Another reader is a friend from high school (we dated for like 2 weeks) and of course the very few others who read here because I read their blogs too.

Oh, and how can I forget Spy, who found my blahg after searching online after I mentioned that I had a blahg. Once, I accidentally posted a comment on Crazy Aunt Purl's blog with my real name but the link to this blahg. How I wish I could delete that comment!

Oh, and I cannot forget the ex-bf who found me via a Google search on his name. I mentioned in the "Bookmarks" post onceuponatime - I posted before blogspot became linked to Google so I never dreamed that his rather common name would ever come up in a Google search?! He read my post, saw my picture, saw Ramona's name and knew Pez was me. He did apologize for treating me so poorly after reading that post, so perhaps it was not a bad thing that he found my blahg. ;)

So I am not nearly as anonymous as I thought I was. I don't really worry about people stalking me or my kids but I do worry about hurting people's feelings. Hell, this is actually my second blahg - the first I wrote some mean things about someone on the SAHP forum and then felt badly, deleted my blahg and started fresh. I have deleted posts about my IL's and another friend because, while I do vent and probably say some things that might be hurtful, it is not my intention to actually hurt people which is why I "anonymously" blahg about them.

Anyway, I don't know why I am even typing this...maybe because I am thinking of closing or ending this blahg and starting over (again!)? And if I did that, would my new blog have a "theme" or would I go with the same blather that I do now? I don't know. And here we have yet another decision I cannot make.

I'm having a blogger identity crisis!

Summer O'Fun Day 6 (2008)

So I had some overripe bananas and thought it would be great summer time fun to bake banana bread. I had three eager sous chefs so perfect, right? Except that the recipe only calls for *2* eggs, and no one wanted to be the one to mash the bananas when they could pout over not being able to break an egg into the bowl. Then a very helpful sous chef decided it would be much easier for me if he HELD the measuring cup as I was pouring in the sugar rather than let it sit STILL on the counter.

Fortunately, the recipe called for 2 cups of flour so I used the 1/2 cup measuring cup so we each got to put in one 1/2 cup. And, 2 tsp of baking powder was again measured by the 1/2 teaspoon so there was enough measuring to go around. I had three mini loaf pans which of course meant that the sous chefs figured that there was one for each of them. Um, no. They were actually fighting over whose pan was filled more!

My blood pressure was up a bit but then I started to laugh about it all and thought that it was not worth getting all irritated. They really wanted to help and Dex even offered to wipe the counter afterwards (and he even was able to wipe up all of the spilled egg and sugar!).

They were thrilled with the outcome (who doesn't love banana bread?) and it made it all worthwhile.

The rest of the day was filled with me weeding and watering the garden and then suffering an allergy attack. I am definitely highly allergic to something in the garden. And I finally clued in that all my fatigue this past week has been from Benadryl. Doh! I was ~thisclose~ to popping some Zyrtec but I am still ticked about Dex's tics so I will not take it myself out of spite. What a crazy reason, eh?! Meanwhile I have $40 of the stuff sitting in my kitchen cabinet.

Tomorrow we are going to a park to meet some other parents and kids from the local Food Allergy support group. There may be another 10 yr old with a peanut allergy so I am hoping that Jax and he will connect. Oh, Dex wanted me to make him a new PEANUT FREE shirt so I should try to find my t-shirt transfer kit. Off to do that now...

Summer O'Fun Day 5 (2008)

I took the boys to the skateboard park this morning and we were later joined by Spy and her kids. About noon we headed down to the newish park behind City Hall and three other moms and their kids joined us. It was quite a trek down to the park ( and a huge hike back!). The boys ran around after we ate lunch. The most fun they seemed to have had was cramming as many kids into the big Honey Bucket. GROSS!

We left there and went to swimming lessons. We were all planning to swim after Jax and Dex's lesson but I think the time in the sun today has tired us all out. As I type this, I wonder how on earth I will last another 3 hours until bedtime for the kids.

Summer is killing me! I am so tired. I did not get up today until 9am and here it is, 8 hours later and I am ready for bed again.

Summer O'Fun Day 4 (2008)

Today we went to get the oil changed in the car today. What great fun! The kids sat in the car as I drove through at Oil Can Henry. We had great luck and I did not have to even wait for another car so we were in and out in 30 minutes. The kids played with their Gameboy/Nintendo DS and I read the newspaper and listened to the gas emissions from the guy checking the fluids in my car. OMG, I could not stop laughing. He was this huge guy and kept talking to the others about how the food at Jack-in-the-Box was no good then he would let out a little short toot for emphasis, I guess.

After that the kids played outside for a while then we all headed to the grocery store for dinner from the deli. We had not intended to do that but Stephen had to interview someone for a job so he was not going to be able to meet to take Dex and Cars while I took Jax to his appointment so we decided to go to dinner at Fred Meyer (the kids love the Mac'n'cheese).

Dex also worked on a 550 piece puzzle that he and Stephen started last night and he completed about 70% of it. They both are just finishing it up now. Dex has always loved puzzles.

Tomorrow we have some real fun planned. :)

Summer O'Fun Day 3 (2008)

Today, Jax and Dex had their first day of the summer golf program at a local golf course. The program has changed a bit this year - you have to sign up for a 5-week session (every Monday) rather just come whenever you want. That's ok though. The kids are supposed to be five years old to play but apparently the age range is flexible. Cars told me he wanted to golf too so I will contact them to see if there is still room in the program and if he can join. A friend of mine is volunteering and Cars would be in the same group as her son so she will keep an eye on him. Three hours free for me on Mondays! Whoo-hoo!

My brother and his family left this morning - it was a great visit. Lola is sooooo sweet and adorable. She loved going up and down and up and down and up and down (and up and down) the stairs in the house and she really seemed to enjoy the attention from her cousins. I hope to go to Vancouver later in the summer (probably just a day-trip with the boys).

I have not planned enough for Summer o'Fun so I must figure out what we will do for the week ahead.

Summer O'Fun Day 2 (2008)

Ok, cheating a little because this happened yesterday...

It was our annual tie-dye day. The cheap gloves that came with the tie-dye kit leaked!

When the pizza guy delivered dinner, he said "I thought you were supposed to have a green thumb, not finger! Guffaw!" I normally would have thought that was funny but I was annoyed that I had green digits.

Later, when it was time to rinse the shirts I have no idea WTF I was thinking because did not use any gloves (I rinsed them out with the garden hose) so now all of my fingers and MY HANDS are dyed blue!


But of course it was all worth it because the results turned out great!


And I made one for Lola too!


OMG she is sooooo cute! And she loves the boys so much and Dex and Cars are so enamoured with her too!



I wonder how long it will take for the dye to wear off my hands?

Summer O'Fun Day 1 (2008)

I started off this morning with refusing to get out of bed until 8am. No reason other than I just could lay there until 8 so I did. It was actually closer to 8:10 since Ash called from Florida and we chatted for a few mins.

Shortly afterwards, I got a call from Jax (he had gone to a sleepover the night before) asking me to pick him up early because his stomach hurt. I think he was probably just sick from lack of sleep as he had not fallen asleep on Tuesday night until almost 11 and then last night it was after 1am. He was fine all day today but I can tell he is so tired.

Cars had his last swimming lesson today and he did really well. I will take him swimming at the pool more often so hopefully he can be without a belt soon.

The only real "summer" thing that we did was to register for the library's Summer Reading Program.

School's Out!

The kids got out at 11:30 today. We ate lunch at the park even though it was maybe 50 degrees. It wasn't raining. We stayed until 2pm then we rushed home to get ready for swimming lessons and a birthday sleepover that Jax went to this evening.

I think I am going to like their lessons now at 3pm rather than 4:30. The instructional pool was virtually empty and the pool with the lanes was too so the swim instructor had them swimming laps. I am sure Jax will sleep well at the party tonight!

Tomorrow is the first day of Summer o'Fun 2008. Nothing is planned really, other than Cars' last swimming lesson for the season (and perhaps the last at this place?).

School's almost out for summer!

Today was the last full day of school for Jax and Dex. And Jax bought his lunch! Whoo-hoo! This is a goal that we set back in January not long after he started seeing his counselor. He had purchased lunch two other times - once Stephen met him for lunch and once I met him for the family bbq but he hadn't purchased it on his own since the very beginning of the school year. He rocks! I am so proud of him. He was a little nervous when I told today had to be the day (I had been asking him every few days for over a month). But he did it and he said he was proud of himself because in the end he was not nervous. Hurray for Jax!

I *finally* spoke to Ramona for the first time in what seemed like MONTHS. She updated her blog too.

My brother and his family are coming for the weekend. I hope the weather is nice. And I hope that Lola doesn't like to eat Lego. It is everywhere in this house!

Tomorrow I have to run to Safeway in the morning to buy a gift card and flowers for Jax's teacher from the class. And I need to write a very nice note to Dex's teacher - she has been terrific this year plus when I asked her to put him in a particular class next year she did it (ssshhh! it is a secret). I just found out about it and there was a little glitch but I will trust her judgement when it comes to Dex and his education.

Our first Summer o'Fun thing will be tie-dyeing shirts on Friday. Let's hope the weather is nice (not counting on it really).

I met with the principal today and the meeting went well. I did not cry (my lower lip did quiver a bit though). I explained to her what happened and what the teacher told me and what he told Jax. I told her that Jax was shocked and uncomfortable. I never mentioned the word bully but she did. She said she would talk to the teacher and she would deliver Jax's note to him too. She kept going back to the peanut butter pancakes to clarify if the teacher had said this to me or just to Jax (it was just to Jax).

I am satisfied with the meeting and I do not really expect to hear back from her. The principal said she would use this example when training her staff next year about what NOT to say (without using Jax's name). I sent her an email to follow up and document our discussion.

These past few days have been stressful for me. I hate confrontation, even when I know I am right or it is for a worthy cause. I am not articulate when I speak. I flub words and get tongue-tied. I want to be a great advocate for my kids and while I know I am in my heart, it kills me that I cannot get these things across without so much anxiety and fumbling. Today I did better than I have in the past but still far from being graceful.

Jax wrote a letter to his teacher (underlining is his):

Dear Mr. Teacher,

The other day when I told you why I couldn't leave my recorder at school in the tub and then you said "Wait, I smell peanut butter. Have any of you been eating peanut butter? Oh I love peanut butter". I 100% thought you were making fun of me. I felt shocked and annoyed that a teacher would do that. A teacher's job would be stopping that from happening. I've already had enough problems like that for the past couple of years with kids. I don't want to have problems with that from teachers.

I just wanted to let you know.

From,
Jax

* * * *

Nine years ago on Father's Day, my dad passed away from esophageal cancer. Thinking of you, Dad.

I stopped by to talk to the principal yesterday about the Music Teacher but she was out of school yesterday so I have an appointment scheduled with her on Monday. Virtually everyone has told me to go to the principal, including 5 teachers/former teachers that I know and one retired principal (my mom called him to ask his advice after she told me that going to the principal would not do any good. She quickly called me back and told me to go!).

Yesterday we had our first Cosmo Friday in ages! No more for a few weeks again. In a month's time we will have one while camping. Wow - summer is just about here (except for summer weather).

Tonight at school there was a 4th grade recorder concert (ouch - my ears!) run by the music teacher. Earlier today, after the kids had practiced, he asked that each kid leave their recorders behind in a box. Jax was concerned about his touching others or someone accidentally taking his so he told the teacher that he was not going to leave it behind because of his peanut allergy and someone might accidentally use it but he promised to bring it back for the concert. The music teacher, Mr. Music Teacher, said "I smell peanut butter". Jax looked at him and then Music Teacher told Jax and other kids who were standing around "I love peanut butter".

Jax told me this as soon as he got off the bus today as we were walking home. I asked him to repeat the story and as he did, I started seething. I was so friggin mad! So I told Jax that bullies come in all sizes and unfortunately, even teachers can be bullies. I said what Music Teacher had done was incredibly mean and unkind. I was shaking because I was so mad and I said that I would have Stephen talk to the teacher after the concert because I did not think I could control myself if I tried to.

By this time we reached the house and I decided that this could not wait until after the concert so I called the school (it was twenty minutes after school let out). I told the secretary that I needed to speak to the music teacher and he came on the line a few minutes later.

I told him that Jax had told me what had happened, and the man started backpedaling saying that he honestly thought he smelled peanuts and maybe it was just because Jax had mentioned peanuts (they were in the music portable so where would there be peanuts?!). Then he said other kids came over and said they liked peanut butter so he said he liked it too. He is so full of shit. I told him that Jax has had enough troubles with bullies and peanuts this year that he did not need to be bullied by his teachers too. He started gushing "No, that was not it! Really, I like Jax. He is a pleasure to have in class!".

So then I knew for sure he was lying because Music Teacher and Jax butted heads last year (I think I blogged about when Jax did "the worm" and shook the whole portable and the teacher yelled at him saying he had driven him over the edge). For a refresher, read here and here.

The teacher said he would talk to Jax and explain himself. After we hung up, I told Jax what the teacher said and Jax said that he did not think he was telling the truth.

After the concert (which Jax had a recorder solo - quite a surprise), I asked Jax if the teacher had spoken to him. Jax said the teacher told him that he had had peanut butter pancakes a few days before and was wondering if he could still smell it and that is why he said it.

Ok, so the man is so full of shit. I am angry now because he lied AGAIN. And of course he assigned Jax the solo just before they were to go on stage. Trying to atone for being an asshole, I guess.

At book club later this evening, I retold the story and one of my friends, who is a teacher, told me I should document this - send him an email and copy the principal. Stephen wants me to just drop it - that this guy knows we have his number and we won't have any more problems. I don't know what I should do.

Do I email or let it drop? What is reasonable at this point?

And this post is getting very long but I need to add one more thing...

I blogged earlier this week that Dex had a solo in the 2nd grade play and that the music teacher told me and Dex's teacher that he had volunteered for the solo but Dex told me he was assigned it. This guy has a history (in my opinion) of lying. That was perhaps a little lie but a lie nevertheless.

I have book club tonight. The book we read this month was Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. OMG I love this book. But now I have a horrible fascination with Golden Lilies (aka Chinese foot binding). I keep looking up the gruesome photos of them on the web.

Before I get to book club though, I have to take Jax and Dex to swim lessons, then go directly to the school for the 4th Grade Recorder concert. I am really not sure when I will be able to feed the kids dinner! Or even get myself ready for book club. Oh and now it is time to meet the bus. Go-go-go-go!

Still Brrrr!

Today's newspaper headline says it all:

After school today, Dex's class put on a little play/song/instrument performance coordinated by the music teacher. It was really cute. It was Abiyoyo. After the play, they sang a song from Africa and Dex had a solo! I had no idea! Of course I did not take my camera today so no pictures or video of it. It was so sweet to hear him sing. The music teacher said that Dex volunteered for the solo but Dex tells the story differently. Either way, it was fun to see him standing up front singing his few lines (can you tell I am more than a little proud of him?!).

Oh, I was going to write more but we are having a windstorm and the lights keep flickering so I wanted to post this in case the power goes out.

First off, happy birthday to my bff! (please update your blog!). I hope you had a great day, Ramona and cheers to a fabulous year!

Today, I planted some tomato plants, a sweet potato plant, snow peas and cucumber. None of the seeds we planted have popped up yet. I hope the garden grows! We certainly have enough rain for it. Some sun too but the temperatures are still very, very cool.

Dex finished up his baseball season this weekend with a jamboree (4 games, 4 innings each). I don't know what we will do with our extra time now. ;)

I took the kids for their summer haircuts today. Yes, believe it or not, Jax did get one too.


So, summer haircuts but it feels nothing like summer. I think the high today was 51 degrees up here. And this was the depressing headline on the frontpage of the newspaper today:

"June gloom" - all through July?
Maybe there's a reason they call it "June gloom."

Brace yourself for lower-than-normal temperatures, rain and cloudy days this month, the National Weather Service says.

And don't expect a warm July, either.

Hold me. I'm freezing.

Singing in the Rain

Yes, it is still raining and it is cold today but can you see the skip in my step and hear the song in my heart? Cars got into full-day kindergarten and I am so excited! I know others might be mourning the fact that their babies are off to kindergarten and I have heard several people tell me that they don't want to send their kids full-day so they can enjoy the last little bit of time with them before they are in school all day long.

Not me.

This is of course about me and not about him at all. I am probably a little closer to him than to the other two because I have had more one-on-one time with him than I was able to have with the other two. But, I am ready for some time for me.

It all sounds so very selfish, doesn't it? "Me time". I am ready for me time. I am ready to become me again.

Long time readers will know where I was when I started this blahg. For those who do not know, after Cars was born, I was diagnosed with postpartum depression. His birth was not easy - sure it seemed like a routine c-section and I had already had two so what was one more, right? However, during the surgery I felt as though I was burning up. I kept telling the anaesthesiologist that I was hot and he kept reassuring me that my body temperature was normal. I did not feel right. When we had walked into the operating room, we were down to two name - Cars and Cam. As soon as he was born, Stephen said he thought Cars was the right name. I was still leaning towards Cam but thought why not Cars since I am going to die right here on the operating table, Stephen might as well pick the name.

After I was back in my room, I still did not feel right. Stephen was pushing for Ez for Cars' middle name and again, I thought sure why not since I am going to die, Stephen might as well get what he wants because he will have to raise all three kids alone. These thoughts were so real and are (surprisingly) still so vivid.

The nurse removed my catheter but I was still not able to use pee (OK, TMI alert so skip if you want). I was told to try running the water, use warm water, and just be patient but I still could not urinate though the need and urge was there. All of those IV fluids they had pumped into me and I could not go! Finally, after yet another unsuccessful trip to the bathroom, I walked out and looked at the nurse who turned to talk to me and I thought "Why can't I hear her?" and I fainted. The last thing I saw was the panic on Stephen's face as he was holding Cars and on the telephone. He dropped the phone to try to catch me. Anyway, an ultrasound on my bladder showed that it was very, very full (nearly a litre). A catheter was quickly reinserted. The next day, it was removed again and I was fine.

The second thing in the hospital was that I noticed that Cars spit up an awful lot. I was on a bland diet due to the c-section but for some reason rather than just jello and juice, I was given ice cream and I did eat a lot of it. I don't know how I knew but I knew that Cars was allergic to milk while I was still in the hospital. I of course was very paranoid about him being allergic to peanuts but I was floored and overwhelmed about the milk allergy because it is in almost everything.

So, I cut milk out of my diet, including ice cream (which to this day I very seldom eat). About a month after he was born, school started and we had Jax in afternoon kindergarten and Dex in morning preschool. We lived in the car. I would pick Dex up from school (after maneuvering through the pot-hole ridden too-small parking lot and down the way too crowded hallway of the preschool with an infant and a kindergartener in tow), rush in the car to try to get Jax on the school bus. If we missed the bus (which was more often than not), I would either drive to Ash's house to have Jax get on the bus there with Gav or else drive to the school and wait around for 20 minutes or so for the bus to arrive. Oh yeah, during that time I had to feed Jax his lunch (before getting Dex), Dex his lunch (while we were in the car) and usually stop somewhere to nurse Cars. And the whole time, I would tell people that the transition from two to three kids was so easy. It was as long as I did not have to do anything but feed and diaper a baby. It kept getting harder when was awake longer and longer each day. Then only easy part of it was that Jax and Dex had each other and did not need me to entertain them.

At almost exactly three months after Cars was born, I realized I was in trouble. I had no motivation to do anything. I would feed and clothe my kids and myself but that was about it. Oh, I could still do laundry because I had to. Having a child who would go through 5-6 sets of clothing plus the umpteen number of bibs and cloths from spitting up made for tons of loads of laundry. I would count the minutes at the end of the day until Stephen would get home. And while co-sleeping always seemed so easy, it really does not lend itself towards quality sleep. I was falling apart and each night, I would dread the next day and all of the running about we had to do doing.

In December, we hired Nanny to come once a week for four hours. I no longer had to take Jax and Dex with me when I went shopping for groceries. I rarely stayed gone the four hours because Cars would not take a bottle and often needed to be fed right when I got back.

I remember the second or third week when Nanny was there, I was driving along on my way to Fred Meyer to shop when I had a feeling that I could not stop the car. I was paralyzed and was convinced that I would be physically unable to stop the car if I hit a red light. I was terrified. Fortunately, I hit every green light on the way to Fred Meyer but I knew then that I needed more than just Nanny help. I called my OB for help and was prescribed Zoloft and given a list of three counselors to call.

Stephen and I had plans for him to take his month paternity leave the next summer but I told him he had to take it NOW. This was in December but he had deliverables and we were not able to schedule his time off until February. Stephen also thought it was his duty to take it all on but that just made for a lot of tension between us.

Anyway, I started seeing my Crazy Doctor, did not take any meds because I was too afraid (of what? addiction to Zoloft? being out of control?). Anyway, in retrospect, I know if I had taken the meds I could have made my life a whole lot easier. It would have helped regular my brain chemistry much sooner than waiting for it to happen on its own. After two years, Crazy Doctor and I figured I was cured and we parted ways.

So, after my trip to crazy and back, as well as all of the issues like the stress of driving across bridges over water and peanuts and 504 plans and walnuts and pecans and tics and milk allergies and should I grow out my grey hair and I grew out my grey hair and anxiety and moving and worry and stuff, I am ready for me time. No more running around to pick kids up after these short two and half hour stints in preschool or 1/2 day K. I have plans for this coming school year to do things for me. I am lucky that I do not have the kind of husband who insists that I find a job now that all kids will be in school and I am very fortunate that we do not need for me to be working (although extra money would always be helpful - have you seen the price of gas?!).

Cars got into full-day kindergarten. I am one happy Pez.

My kids have been bickering a lot lately and it is driving me crazy! I told them they had better knock it off because once summer comes, they will be paying for their bickering by weeding the lawn. Of course, that is assuming that the nice weather will actually return. It is cold again - my heat turned back on today while I was out. Crazy!

We planted a garden last week but now I am sure the seeds will not germinate because it has been too cold. I was going to go to the local garden center to buy some tomato plants but I am afraid they will freeze on the vines! And we cannot move the basil plant outdoors for another couple of weeks or it will die.

Yesterday was Dex's 8th birthday. He had a baseball game at 5pm then we went to Red Robin for dinner. We did not get there until 7:20 and did not get a table until 8! I was mad and we would have left except that Dex really, really, really wanted to eat there for his birthday dinner. The manager offered us free appetizers for the wait but we just wanted our entrees and to go home so he could open his gifts.

By the time we got home, it was way past their bedtimes and Dex did not want his "cake" (which was Nanaimo Bars) because he had a headache. He opened his gifts and went to bed. Poor boy. :(

Today was Little League Day at Safeco Field. I had purchased just two tickets, thinking that Stephen could take Dex down there with the rest of his team. Yesterday though, Jax expressed an interest in going which was HUGE because in the past, he has always been concerned about peanuts and peanut shells there. Anyway, Spy had two extra tickets since she and dd could not go so we bought them and Stephen took all three boys to the game. They all paraded on the field with a gazillion other Little Leaguers then watched the Mariners lose to the Tigers in the 9th inning. Stephen said Jax was amazing, he had to walk through a sea of peanut shells at one point and he barely even flinched (though he did want to wipe off his shoes later).

While they were at the game, I made new curtains for my kitchen. The yellow are the old and the blue/red striped are the new:


And another one over the sink:


I did not make them as full as the others were because I think it would have looked odd with the stripes. I am not in love with them so I will keep looking for curtains or fabric that I like better. I would rather the blue a bit more cobalt blueish.