Not in their entirety, but here are a few snippets of the first-day-of-school questionaire I give my children each year.
"For lunch I had ....."
Kendrie: 2 tacos
Kellen: Pizza sticks
Brayden: Crap. It's school food -- cold meat and hardened cheese.
"Lunch was actually pretty ...."
Kendrie: Fun!
Kellen: Average
Brayden: Bad
"One goal I am setting for myself this year is ...."
Kendrie: Make new friends
Kellen: Just be myself and have a great time.
Brayden: Stay on all the teachers' good sides.
"One thing I am really looking forward to this year ..."
Kendrie: Spanish
Kellen: Lunch
Brayden: Calling all the sixth graders "Sixlets"
"When I grow up, I really want to be ...."
Kendrie: Like my mom and dad.
Kellen: A CIA Ninja
Brayden: An actress and a vet
"I think this quiz mom makes us do is ...."
Kendrie: Fun
Kellen: Fun
Brayden: Fun even though I've taken it 47 times already.
What's funny is Brayden is actually NOT the one I would label "sarcastic" ... yet after reading her answers, I might have to re-think that opinion.
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Still not as bad as 2005
First day of school:
Child #3 forgot both her water bottle and her snack.
Child #3's best friend needed a baggie to hold her extra pencils.
Thankfully we live so close to the school I could run home and get everything the girls needed and bring it all back to school before the day had really even started.
But then I left my umbrella there in the classroom.
It was raining.
Second day of school:
I forgot to ask my children the night before if they wanted to buy lunch at school, or pack a lunch from home. (Hush, I realize my children are old enough to pack their own lunches but I'm still trying to play the "good mother at the beginning of the school year" shtick.)
This morning, after looking at the cafeteria menu for today, all three informed me they wanted to pack a lunch. Of course they did.
Kendrie wanted a ham and cheese sandwich, but informed me there was no more lunchmeat. I told her she could have pb&j.
Kellen informed me the cheese had been left open by accident and was hard. I told him HE could have pb&J, too.
Brayden said she would actually PREFER pb&j, but that Blaine had finished the last loaf of bread a few days ago and forgot to tell me.
Blaine confirmed this to be true.
(sigh)
So, Blaine ran to the store to buy lunch meat, cheese, and bread, and hey, while you're there, we need another gallon of milk and the kids would probably love if you'd buy some of those individual bags of cheetos that I am always too cheap to buy, thanks, honey.
He came home and I rushed to make the lunches.
Which Child #1 AND Child #2 walked off and left sitting on the kitchen table.
When we realized it, half way to the school, I told them children not to worry. I would bring their lunches to the school this morning and leave them in the office.
At which point Kellen said, "Never mind, I don't want to eat it anyway."
At which point **I** said, "Oh. You WILL eat that lunch, and {insert scary demon voice} YOU. WILL. LIKE. IT."
But hey, at least they all three made it to school, unlike my nephew, who missed his first day of middle school ever, thanks to some mystery "summer virus" that rendered him home in bed with a high fever and sore throat on the first day.
Something tells me that the weeping coming from my sister's house yesterday morning wasn't from happy baby angels ....
And still, NONE of it was as bad as this year.
Child #3 forgot both her water bottle and her snack.
Child #3's best friend needed a baggie to hold her extra pencils.
Thankfully we live so close to the school I could run home and get everything the girls needed and bring it all back to school before the day had really even started.
But then I left my umbrella there in the classroom.
It was raining.
Second day of school:
I forgot to ask my children the night before if they wanted to buy lunch at school, or pack a lunch from home. (Hush, I realize my children are old enough to pack their own lunches but I'm still trying to play the "good mother at the beginning of the school year" shtick.)
This morning, after looking at the cafeteria menu for today, all three informed me they wanted to pack a lunch. Of course they did.
Kendrie wanted a ham and cheese sandwich, but informed me there was no more lunchmeat. I told her she could have pb&j.
Kellen informed me the cheese had been left open by accident and was hard. I told him HE could have pb&J, too.
Brayden said she would actually PREFER pb&j, but that Blaine had finished the last loaf of bread a few days ago and forgot to tell me.
Blaine confirmed this to be true.
(sigh)
So, Blaine ran to the store to buy lunch meat, cheese, and bread, and hey, while you're there, we need another gallon of milk and the kids would probably love if you'd buy some of those individual bags of cheetos that I am always too cheap to buy, thanks, honey.
He came home and I rushed to make the lunches.
Which Child #1 AND Child #2 walked off and left sitting on the kitchen table.
When we realized it, half way to the school, I told them children not to worry. I would bring their lunches to the school this morning and leave them in the office.
At which point Kellen said, "Never mind, I don't want to eat it anyway."
At which point **I** said, "Oh. You WILL eat that lunch, and {insert scary demon voice} YOU. WILL. LIKE. IT."
But hey, at least they all three made it to school, unlike my nephew, who missed his first day of middle school ever, thanks to some mystery "summer virus" that rendered him home in bed with a high fever and sore throat on the first day.
Something tells me that the weeping coming from my sister's house yesterday morning wasn't from happy baby angels ....
And still, NONE of it was as bad as this year.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Today
Today, I went out for a leisurely breakfast with girlfriends.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, I shopped at Target and none of the following -- candy, gum, toys, bouncy balls, flamin' hot cheetos, video games, Disney movies, or stuffed animals -- landed in my cart.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, I sat in a doctor's office waiting for an appointment for half an hour, and not once did I have to worry about getting back to the sitter, or if the kids were ok at home.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, I listened to the ipod player in my car and none of the following -- Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Naked Brothers Band, Emily Osment, Selena Gomez, or Demi Lovato -- played a single time.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, I went for lunch at a restaurant none of my kids like -- and no-one complained.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, the television never came on, which means none of the following -- Wizards of Waverly Place, iCarly, Drake and Josh, Suite Life on Deck, the Othersiders, or Malcolm in the Middle -- crossed my eyes or my brain even once.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Can you guess what else happened today?
My kids started back to school.
And Kristie sang and wept with happiness.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, I shopped at Target and none of the following -- candy, gum, toys, bouncy balls, flamin' hot cheetos, video games, Disney movies, or stuffed animals -- landed in my cart.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, I sat in a doctor's office waiting for an appointment for half an hour, and not once did I have to worry about getting back to the sitter, or if the kids were ok at home.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, I listened to the ipod player in my car and none of the following -- Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Naked Brothers Band, Emily Osment, Selena Gomez, or Demi Lovato -- played a single time.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, I went for lunch at a restaurant none of my kids like -- and no-one complained.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Today, the television never came on, which means none of the following -- Wizards of Waverly Place, iCarly, Drake and Josh, Suite Life on Deck, the Othersiders, or Malcolm in the Middle -- crossed my eyes or my brain even once.
And the baby angels sang and wept with happiness.
Can you guess what else happened today?
My kids started back to school.
And Kristie sang and wept with happiness.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Even the kids are starting to catch on ...
Kellen and Kendrie both won "Sensational Citizen" awards at their school on Friday. Back in MY day, it was called "Citizens of the Month", and they did it .... well ... monthly. But now they only do it once every nine weeks, AND the kids totally get to leave campus and go out for a pizza lunch with the principal and what did WE ever get besides a measley mention of our name during morning announcements and maybe a certificate not that I would know because I don't think I was ever ONCE named Citizen of the Month the entire twelve years I went to school there what am I chopped liver not that I'm bitter or anything.
Anyway.
The teachers let all the parents whose kids were chosen (about three hundred and ninety-two of us) know that the awards would be passed out during the Friday morning assembly so we could go for picture-taking purposes.
After the names were called and the certificates passed out, I asked Kellen and Kendrie, and their cousin who was also named, to stick around for a few quick photos.
Kellen didn't look too happy and I asked him why. Not that this is the biggest honor in the history of mankind or anything, but I was still proud of him and thought he would have been more pleased.
"Of all the days," he hissed at me under his breath, "for me to get an award, it has to be today? Book Character Day? The day all the parents show up, and I'm up here in front of everyone, dressed as TOM SAWYER?!?"
And I thought to myself, "Honey, as many dress-up days as you have around here, odds are running about three-to-one that ANY day you won an award would be a dress-up day."
But you notice he refused to take his jacket off ..... oh well, at least he's in good company:
A cat.
His cousin, the squirrel. And his sister, who had the good sense to select Jigsaw Jones, Boy Detective, who dresses like a normal person.
And look, Laura Ingalls is in the house. And for the person who asked if the teachers dress up as well --- do you see Snow White? She is one of the kindergarten teachers. The other seven teachers were ...... (go ahead, you can guess ....) the dwarves.
Anyway.
The teachers let all the parents whose kids were chosen (about three hundred and ninety-two of us) know that the awards would be passed out during the Friday morning assembly so we could go for picture-taking purposes.
After the names were called and the certificates passed out, I asked Kellen and Kendrie, and their cousin who was also named, to stick around for a few quick photos.
Kellen didn't look too happy and I asked him why. Not that this is the biggest honor in the history of mankind or anything, but I was still proud of him and thought he would have been more pleased.
"Of all the days," he hissed at me under his breath, "for me to get an award, it has to be today? Book Character Day? The day all the parents show up, and I'm up here in front of everyone, dressed as TOM SAWYER?!?"
And I thought to myself, "Honey, as many dress-up days as you have around here, odds are running about three-to-one that ANY day you won an award would be a dress-up day."
But you notice he refused to take his jacket off ..... oh well, at least he's in good company:
A cat.
His cousin, the squirrel. And his sister, who had the good sense to select Jigsaw Jones, Boy Detective, who dresses like a normal person.
And look, Laura Ingalls is in the house. And for the person who asked if the teachers dress up as well --- do you see Snow White? She is one of the kindergarten teachers. The other seven teachers were ...... (go ahead, you can guess ....) the dwarves.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
You can never have too much of a good thing
Flyer sent home from school today:
"School-Wide Book Character Day!
Friday, March 13
Each student will select their favorite character from a fiction book. They will need to complete the "Book Character Report" form, and they will also need to dress up as that character on Friday, March 13th.
Let's make this a fun and educational day as we share our favorite book characters with our friends!"
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!
(sigh)
Any chance its all a cruel joke for Friday the 13th???
(weep)
Friday, March 13
Each student will select their favorite character from a fiction book. They will need to complete the "Book Character Report" form, and they will also need to dress up as that character on Friday, March 13th.
Let's make this a fun and educational day as we share our favorite book characters with our friends!"
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!
(sigh)
Any chance its all a cruel joke for Friday the 13th???
(weep)
Friday, January 23, 2009
Colonial Fair, 2009
You might remember that last year's big fourth grade project at my kids school was the re-enactment of the Oklahoma Land Run. Costumes, wagons, cardboard houses, vittles, land surveys, and an actual "RUSH" to claim land ..... ahhhh, good times.
This year? Fifth grade?
Colonial Fair.
(Good God Almighty, does it ever end at this school???)
The kids did whatever kind of studying of colonial times they DO in Social Studies class. Then, each child had to make an informative poster of one aspect of colonial living ..... complete with photos and an "attractive" border. We chose colonial food and printed pictures of dour-faced women sweating in ginormous hearth-fireplaces while dinner cooked over the fire. Certainly no Hamburger Helper back in those days!
Then each child had to come up with a costume to wear the day of the fair. Luckily, I remembered from when Brayden did this last year what most of the boys wore, so Kellen's costume consisted of his Sunday shoes, Blaine's white hunting socks, black baseball pants, a white oxford, "lace" at his wrists which were really made from coffee filters, and a tri-corn hat. If this costume looks remarkably similar to his Halloween costume, well, you've got a good memory because he wore the exact same thing. Might as well get my money's worth, is my motto!
My favorite part of his costume was that I convinced him to let me put his hair in a "queue" .... hey, if you're going to grow it this long, might as well put it to good use for your costume.
He and two of his classmates put together their booth for the fair. All fifth graders set up their booths in the gymnasium the night before. You had to bring your own table and have whatever you were selling clearly marked on a poster or sign. Many booths sold food and/or drinks, some booths sold candy. Some booths sold marbles, candles, rag dolls, yarn toys, etc. There was also a few booths of games of chance and/or skill.
Personally, I thought the buckles on the shoes made out of Reynolds Wrap was an especially nice touch.
Each grade level came through the gymnasium for about half an hour and got to browse the booths, spending their money how they wanted. Nothing could sell for more than five cents. Kellen and his friends sold corn muffins for two cents, beef jerky sticks for two cents, a small cup of rootbeer or apple juice for three cents ... OR, their genius marketing strategy, a "combo meal" involving all three, for five cents.
Here they are, hard at work:
In addition to teaching the children about Colonial Life, the event is a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients campaign, and all monies earned at the Colonial Fair is donated to that cause.
As best I can figure it:
The baseball pants cost eight dollars.
The hat cost fifteen dollars.
We spent about four dollars (and three hours) making corn muffins, and spent almost six dollars buying wood and paper to build the sign over the booth.
Chance's mom spent probably close to ten dollars on beef jerky, plus provided plates and cups and the gloves.
Jacob's mom spent at least ten dollars on root beer and apple juice.
The boys worked for over two hours; probably sold half their drinks, sold all the beef jerky, and hardly sold any corn muffins. (Well, of course not. There were candy and cookies and brownies at other booths ... if you are seven years old and you have twenty-five pennies in YOUR pocket, are you going to buy a stupid corn muffin or a cookie???)
I would estimate they made three dollars in pennies.
Hey Social Studies teacher, what do you say two years from now, when Kendrie is in fifth grade, we SKIP the Colonial Fair and I just donate ten bucks to Pennies for Patients? I think it would be a LOT less work for you and me both.
(Kidding ... it was fun. And if last year they re-enacted the Oklahoma Land Rush, which took place in 1907, and this year they re-enacted a Colonial Fair of the early 1800's .... and they continue to rewind history by 100 years at a time, then by the time they are seniors in high school we'll be back to the Dark Ages and I can just send him to school in a fur pellet, carrying a club.)
*******************************
Thanks to all of you for your kind and encouraging words regarding myspawn of Satan children yesterday. Always good to hear I'm not alone! Today went much better .... thank goodness. I have officially removed the "For Sale" signs from around their necks and told them they can come in off the curb.
Good thing, too, because it was just in time tomake HELP Kendrie make her 3-D biography poster and book report of Sacagawea, with "fun items from around your house!"
Yeah. Because that's JUST what my 9-yr old is capable of doing .... thinking up an idea for a 3-D biography poster and implementing it with household items.
Lest you think we did ALL the work, here is proof she helped:
And here is the final product, complete with braided yarn hair and a pipe cleaner necklace. 3-D enough for you, teacher???
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get started gathering supplies for Brayden's cereal-box-biography-project.
Remind me again why I wanted my kids to go to this school???
(Ps. I'm kidding --- I love this school!)
(Pss. See what I mean about people I know read this blog and I'm hesitant to say anything negative, even when I'm joking, because you just KNOW some people can't take a joke and will get their knickers all twisted and before you know it I'll be labeled the "Mom who complains about everything" .....)
This year? Fifth grade?
Colonial Fair.
(Good God Almighty, does it ever end at this school???)
The kids did whatever kind of studying of colonial times they DO in Social Studies class. Then, each child had to make an informative poster of one aspect of colonial living ..... complete with photos and an "attractive" border. We chose colonial food and printed pictures of dour-faced women sweating in ginormous hearth-fireplaces while dinner cooked over the fire. Certainly no Hamburger Helper back in those days!
Then each child had to come up with a costume to wear the day of the fair. Luckily, I remembered from when Brayden did this last year what most of the boys wore, so Kellen's costume consisted of his Sunday shoes, Blaine's white hunting socks, black baseball pants, a white oxford, "lace" at his wrists which were really made from coffee filters, and a tri-corn hat. If this costume looks remarkably similar to his Halloween costume, well, you've got a good memory because he wore the exact same thing. Might as well get my money's worth, is my motto!
My favorite part of his costume was that I convinced him to let me put his hair in a "queue" .... hey, if you're going to grow it this long, might as well put it to good use for your costume.
He and two of his classmates put together their booth for the fair. All fifth graders set up their booths in the gymnasium the night before. You had to bring your own table and have whatever you were selling clearly marked on a poster or sign. Many booths sold food and/or drinks, some booths sold candy. Some booths sold marbles, candles, rag dolls, yarn toys, etc. There was also a few booths of games of chance and/or skill.
Personally, I thought the buckles on the shoes made out of Reynolds Wrap was an especially nice touch.
Each grade level came through the gymnasium for about half an hour and got to browse the booths, spending their money how they wanted. Nothing could sell for more than five cents. Kellen and his friends sold corn muffins for two cents, beef jerky sticks for two cents, a small cup of rootbeer or apple juice for three cents ... OR, their genius marketing strategy, a "combo meal" involving all three, for five cents.
Here they are, hard at work:
In addition to teaching the children about Colonial Life, the event is a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients campaign, and all monies earned at the Colonial Fair is donated to that cause.
As best I can figure it:
The baseball pants cost eight dollars.
The hat cost fifteen dollars.
We spent about four dollars (and three hours) making corn muffins, and spent almost six dollars buying wood and paper to build the sign over the booth.
Chance's mom spent probably close to ten dollars on beef jerky, plus provided plates and cups and the gloves.
Jacob's mom spent at least ten dollars on root beer and apple juice.
The boys worked for over two hours; probably sold half their drinks, sold all the beef jerky, and hardly sold any corn muffins. (Well, of course not. There were candy and cookies and brownies at other booths ... if you are seven years old and you have twenty-five pennies in YOUR pocket, are you going to buy a stupid corn muffin or a cookie???)
I would estimate they made three dollars in pennies.
Hey Social Studies teacher, what do you say two years from now, when Kendrie is in fifth grade, we SKIP the Colonial Fair and I just donate ten bucks to Pennies for Patients? I think it would be a LOT less work for you and me both.
(Kidding ... it was fun. And if last year they re-enacted the Oklahoma Land Rush, which took place in 1907, and this year they re-enacted a Colonial Fair of the early 1800's .... and they continue to rewind history by 100 years at a time, then by the time they are seniors in high school we'll be back to the Dark Ages and I can just send him to school in a fur pellet, carrying a club.)
*******************************
Thanks to all of you for your kind and encouraging words regarding my
Good thing, too, because it was just in time to
Yeah. Because that's JUST what my 9-yr old is capable of doing .... thinking up an idea for a 3-D biography poster and implementing it with household items.
Lest you think we did ALL the work, here is proof she helped:
And here is the final product, complete with braided yarn hair and a pipe cleaner necklace. 3-D enough for you, teacher???
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get started gathering supplies for Brayden's cereal-box-biography-project.
Remind me again why I wanted my kids to go to this school???
(Ps. I'm kidding --- I love this school!)
(Pss. See what I mean about people I know read this blog and I'm hesitant to say anything negative, even when I'm joking, because you just KNOW some people can't take a joke and will get their knickers all twisted and before you know it I'll be labeled the "Mom who complains about everything" .....)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Diorama
Matchbox red truck and van to depict parking lot scene before reading the instructions from the teacher that the diorama *must* represent the most climactic scene in the book, thereby rendering our parking lot scene worthless: $6
Dowel rods for ballet bar: $2
Mini hooks to hold up ballet bar: $1
Mirror to purposely break and place all over walls and floor of diorama: $1
Wooden blocks to paint to look like a tv and vcr: $3
Super glue to hold the whole stupid thing together: $4
Scrapbook paper, marker, scissors, images off the internet and cardboard: Free
Quality mother-daughter bonding time: Priceless.
Until I realized, after the fact, that the school will probably take one look at the razor-sharp glass shards all over her diorama from the fake broken ballet mirror and declare they are weapons and will expel her under their zero tolerance policy --- Not quite as priceless.
Dowel rods for ballet bar: $2
Mini hooks to hold up ballet bar: $1
Mirror to purposely break and place all over walls and floor of diorama: $1
Wooden blocks to paint to look like a tv and vcr: $3
Super glue to hold the whole stupid thing together: $4
Scrapbook paper, marker, scissors, images off the internet and cardboard: Free
Quality mother-daughter bonding time: Priceless.
Until I realized, after the fact, that the school will probably take one look at the razor-sharp glass shards all over her diorama from the fake broken ballet mirror and declare they are weapons and will expel her under their zero tolerance policy --- Not quite as priceless.
Monday, December 08, 2008
What, really, is the purpose?
I am a voracious reader, and support whole-heartedly anything that gets my kids to read. All three of them enjoy reading, but not as obsessively as *I* do …. That’s ok, at least they’re not opposed to it. In fact, they even ask me to take them to the library sometimes …a fact which thrills me to no end. So let me be the first to say I have no problem with required book reports in school. In fact, I think they’re great, especially if they get my kids to branch out and read a book they might otherwise not even peek at. (Hello, Geronimo Stilton, anyone???)
When the “Twilight” movie came out, Brayden began the same begging that every girl under the age of 18 in this country was doing, to be taken to the movie. The rule at our house (normally, unless I’m feeling really lazy …. {see: City of Ember during Thanksgiving break}) is that you have to read the book before you can see the movie. Since Brayden’s book report this quarter had to be in the “fantasy” genre, the timing was actually perfect to have her read Twilight, with the promise of going to the movie afterward. Well, we slogged our way through half of “The Secret Prince” before giving up because neither one of us was enjoying it, so that was a waste of two weeks … and because of that we’ve sort of been speed-reading through the Edward-Bella adventure, but that’s ok. I had already read the book and wanted to read this one with her for the report, so it’s actually evolved into some quality mother-daughter bonding time. Plus, it’s facilitated some helpful chats about obsessive behavior, the reality of life, and how it’s not cute for a normal, healthy teenage girl to be so unbelievably uncoordinated and all damsel-in-distress-y. (Seriously. Am I the only one on the planet who is tired of her falling down and swooning and stumbling … what on earth is WRONG with that girl’s equilibrium? My nickname in high school was “KLUTZ”, for pete’s sake, and I still didn’t have as many accidents as this chick …. But I digress.)
So, ok. Let’s just clarify: Reading = good. Book reports = also good.
But can anyone tell me, what on earth is the purpose of assigning a diorama in addition to the book report?? You know, those little recreations of a specific moment in the book, made with teeny tiny plastic people and miniature things, placed in some kind of box that’s been covered with craft paper. First of all, what’s the point? It’s not going to help my child understand the book any better, and it’s no proof that she’s actually read the book. It’s not going to ENHANCE her enjoyment of the book in any way, and let’s be honest, it’s going to be down-right difficult for me to find little doll-size versions of vampires that I can fit in a stupid shoe box.
And yeah, I said it: that *I* can find. Because you know darn good and well that *I’m* going to be the one who has to go out and buy the miniature items to go in the diorama, and *I’m* going to be the one who helps her plan the stupid thing, and *I’m* going to be the one who secretly re-glues everything after she goes to bed so the pieces don’t fall over the next day when Brayden carries it to school.
And it’s not because I’m a hyper-involved parent who micro-manages my kids’ school work. It’s because we don’t have vampire “diorama” stuff just laying around the house, and I don’t think it’s fair to ask her to make something – for a grade – and then turn her loose with no help or instruction. Make no mistake, the teacher asked for the diorama, but it’s parents everywhere who get stuck “helping” with this kind of project. Maybe it's our fault for choosing this book, but I can't help but think anything in the "fantasy" genre is going to be difficult.
So, ok. Now that I’ve vented, anyone know where I can find miniature versions of Edward and Bella?
When the “Twilight” movie came out, Brayden began the same begging that every girl under the age of 18 in this country was doing, to be taken to the movie. The rule at our house (normally, unless I’m feeling really lazy …. {see: City of Ember during Thanksgiving break}) is that you have to read the book before you can see the movie. Since Brayden’s book report this quarter had to be in the “fantasy” genre, the timing was actually perfect to have her read Twilight, with the promise of going to the movie afterward. Well, we slogged our way through half of “The Secret Prince” before giving up because neither one of us was enjoying it, so that was a waste of two weeks … and because of that we’ve sort of been speed-reading through the Edward-Bella adventure, but that’s ok. I had already read the book and wanted to read this one with her for the report, so it’s actually evolved into some quality mother-daughter bonding time. Plus, it’s facilitated some helpful chats about obsessive behavior, the reality of life, and how it’s not cute for a normal, healthy teenage girl to be so unbelievably uncoordinated and all damsel-in-distress-y. (Seriously. Am I the only one on the planet who is tired of her falling down and swooning and stumbling … what on earth is WRONG with that girl’s equilibrium? My nickname in high school was “KLUTZ”, for pete’s sake, and I still didn’t have as many accidents as this chick …. But I digress.)
So, ok. Let’s just clarify: Reading = good. Book reports = also good.
But can anyone tell me, what on earth is the purpose of assigning a diorama in addition to the book report?? You know, those little recreations of a specific moment in the book, made with teeny tiny plastic people and miniature things, placed in some kind of box that’s been covered with craft paper. First of all, what’s the point? It’s not going to help my child understand the book any better, and it’s no proof that she’s actually read the book. It’s not going to ENHANCE her enjoyment of the book in any way, and let’s be honest, it’s going to be down-right difficult for me to find little doll-size versions of vampires that I can fit in a stupid shoe box.
And yeah, I said it: that *I* can find. Because you know darn good and well that *I’m* going to be the one who has to go out and buy the miniature items to go in the diorama, and *I’m* going to be the one who helps her plan the stupid thing, and *I’m* going to be the one who secretly re-glues everything after she goes to bed so the pieces don’t fall over the next day when Brayden carries it to school.
And it’s not because I’m a hyper-involved parent who micro-manages my kids’ school work. It’s because we don’t have vampire “diorama” stuff just laying around the house, and I don’t think it’s fair to ask her to make something – for a grade – and then turn her loose with no help or instruction. Make no mistake, the teacher asked for the diorama, but it’s parents everywhere who get stuck “helping” with this kind of project. Maybe it's our fault for choosing this book, but I can't help but think anything in the "fantasy" genre is going to be difficult.
So, ok. Now that I’ve vented, anyone know where I can find miniature versions of Edward and Bella?
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Let the Hatred Begin
Well, perhaps "Hatred" is too strong a term. Maybe a better word would be "annoyance" or "frustration" or "crippling lack of creativity".
Remember how I complained last year about my kids' school's freakish obsession with costumes?
Yeah, well, it's already started this year.
We've had Spirit Week and Just Say No Week, which means we've done Crazy Hair Day, Mis-Match Clothes Day, Crazy Socks Day, Crazy Hat Day, Wear Your Clothes Backwards Day, Team Jersey Day, Slippers Day, and a host of other days, all of which were pretty manageable with things the kids already had here at the house .... with the exception of Hippie Day. For that, I agreed to go to the costume store and actually *buy* Brayden a 70's costume, if *she* would agree to wear the costume again for Halloween.
Kellen had to dress up like Patrick Henry for a book report, and will re-use that costume for the Colonial Fair in January. For the Live Museum in December, he has to dress up like Dwight D. Eisenhower (wtf???) and Kendrie has to dress as a professional baseball player, which means we will recycle the baseball uniform Kellen wore in LAST YEAR's Live Museum.
So far, so good.
Then, we received notice that this week is the 2nd Annual Vocabulary Parade. You might remember that last year the Parade took place -- literally -- our first week at the new school, so my poor kids didn't really get costumes. I hadn't even unpacked our household goods, let alone been able to manage costumes for the vocabulary words they were to "demonstrate" in the parade to their school mates.
No such luck this year --- we're here, and costumes are expected of us.
I didn't think Kendrie's word would be that difficult: arachnid.
I figured it would be pretty easy to get out my sewing machine and whip up a cute little spider costume without a whole lot of trouble.
Only two problems: 1) I don't actually own a sewing machine. and 2) I don't know how to sew.
The idea for the costume was easily found on the Internet, and didn't *sound* too difficult.
It didn't take long to remember, however, that I have the patience span of a gnat .... so thank goodness I have a husband who is handier with a needle and thread than I am, is all I can say about that.
Once we determined that she would also recycle the costume for Halloween, things actually started to look up:
Then I found out what Kellen's word is: strew.
How on God's green earth am I supposed to come up with a costume representing the word "strew" ??? Seriously ---- STREW?????
And about the time I really started getting anxious, about what the HELL are we going to do for "strew", I talked to sister, and found out my nephew's word:
Malapropism.
Um, yeah. Strew's not looking so bad after all.
Remember how I complained last year about my kids' school's freakish obsession with costumes?
Yeah, well, it's already started this year.
We've had Spirit Week and Just Say No Week, which means we've done Crazy Hair Day, Mis-Match Clothes Day, Crazy Socks Day, Crazy Hat Day, Wear Your Clothes Backwards Day, Team Jersey Day, Slippers Day, and a host of other days, all of which were pretty manageable with things the kids already had here at the house .... with the exception of Hippie Day. For that, I agreed to go to the costume store and actually *buy* Brayden a 70's costume, if *she* would agree to wear the costume again for Halloween.
Kellen had to dress up like Patrick Henry for a book report, and will re-use that costume for the Colonial Fair in January. For the Live Museum in December, he has to dress up like Dwight D. Eisenhower (wtf???) and Kendrie has to dress as a professional baseball player, which means we will recycle the baseball uniform Kellen wore in LAST YEAR's Live Museum.
So far, so good.
Then, we received notice that this week is the 2nd Annual Vocabulary Parade. You might remember that last year the Parade took place -- literally -- our first week at the new school, so my poor kids didn't really get costumes. I hadn't even unpacked our household goods, let alone been able to manage costumes for the vocabulary words they were to "demonstrate" in the parade to their school mates.
No such luck this year --- we're here, and costumes are expected of us.
I didn't think Kendrie's word would be that difficult: arachnid.
I figured it would be pretty easy to get out my sewing machine and whip up a cute little spider costume without a whole lot of trouble.
Only two problems: 1) I don't actually own a sewing machine. and 2) I don't know how to sew.
The idea for the costume was easily found on the Internet, and didn't *sound* too difficult.
It didn't take long to remember, however, that I have the patience span of a gnat .... so thank goodness I have a husband who is handier with a needle and thread than I am, is all I can say about that.
Once we determined that she would also recycle the costume for Halloween, things actually started to look up:
Then I found out what Kellen's word is: strew.
How on God's green earth am I supposed to come up with a costume representing the word "strew" ??? Seriously ---- STREW?????
And about the time I really started getting anxious, about what the HELL are we going to do for "strew", I talked to sister, and found out my nephew's word:
Malapropism.
Um, yeah. Strew's not looking so bad after all.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Oklahoma Land Run, circa 2008
Child: “Mom, do you know what a Sooner is?”
Me: “Well, yes, it’s the mascot of Oklahoma University.”
Child: “But do you know where that name came from? About how Sooners were the people who snuck across the starting line at the Oklahoma Land Run to claim their land early? And how they went SOONER than they were supposed to?”
Me: “Yes, I knew that, too.”
Child: “So my teacher said basically, Sooners are big fat cheaters.”
Me: “Well, um, I guess technically, yes, that is correct.”
Child: “So Dad is a cheater because he is a Sooner.”
Me: “Uh, your dad graduated from OU, but that doesn’t make him a cheater. Let’s just say that nowadays, being a Sooner might be more like someone who really wants to win, or who really wants to accomplish their goals.”
Child: “No, they’re big fat cheaters.”
Me: “Ok, you know, I think you’re not quite getting it. Back *then*, a Sooner was a cheater … it doesn’t mean that anyone who graduates from OU is a cheater.”
Child: “Yep, Sooners are cheaters.”
Me: “I'm telling you, being a Sooner now isn’t the same thing as being a Sooner then.”
Child, in a sing-song voice: “Dad is a cheater, Dad is a cheater!”
Me (tired sigh): “You do understand that your father didn’t actually PARTICIPATE in the original land run, don’t you???”
And with that, so marks the annual 4th grade re-enactment of the Oklahoma Land Run.
All kids had to dress the part of a pioneer. (And you KNOW how much I love costumes!! Actually, this was much easier to put together than the 70's outfit Brayden needed last week ..... man, I love costumes.) {please note heavy sarcasm} The only overalls I could find at Goodwill that were skinny enough to fit him were Ladies XS from the Gap. Please don't tell Kellen he was wearing ladies overalls. We borrowed the hat (thanks, Stephanie!) and personally, I thought the metal pail for his lunch was an extra-special touch. Explaining to him that it wouldn't be authentic if he carried a Lunchable and a Powerade in it was another story.
The kids were grouped up in "families" and made to keep journals chronicling their Land Run experience, including their preparations. And don't try to adjust your glasses or monitors .... I blurred Kellen's family faces since I didn't ask permission to post the photos on the internet. Kellen's group named themselves the "Johnson" family, and they had quite an elaborate plan of attack to ensure they would get the lot that they wanted.
If you'll notice, apparently that plan included Kellen and one other "family members" running like crazy to the lot after the principal fired the starter pistol, while the rest of the family got stuck hauling all the gear, including their "homestead".
Then, once you had the lot number, you had to run back to the surveyer's table and be the first to claim it. There was an ugly scene involving Kellen's family where three different families were trying to claim two lots .... the family next to Kellen's got bumped, and were NOT too happy about it. Plus, the teachers let a small group of kids sneak in early (hello, SOONERS!) and they totally snagged the lot my nephew wanted. Considering in the original land run, there was only enough land for one out of three who were trying, this was probably a pretty close re-enactment, but it made my stomach hurt because I want all the kids to be be happy and they WERE NOT. Even the Land Run scene in Far and Away makes my stomach hurt. But my sister told me that two years ago, my older nephew wound up in tears, so at least it wasn't that bad.
The Johnson Family with the deed to their land. My brother-in-law, who is an actual surveyer, marked off the land, plotted it with stakes, and notarized all the deeds. It was really pretty cool, if I do say so myself.
Then, of course, the best part of the day, LUNCH. Kellen took a bread and butter sandwich, an apple, and an oatcake. One boy in his group brought beef jerkey, one brought root beer, and one brought a pan of the most delicious cornbread I've evereaten seen in my life. No, no, I definitely didn't eat any. And really, do you think they had Little Tykes wagons back then?? Or plastic bags from Wal-Mart?
Then they played games, and even played impromptu baseball with the apple that I so lovingly packed, and called it a day. A very successful day, in my opinion.
This event takes place on the college campus near our school. As we were setting up (I tied the red flags to the stakes ... aren't they beautiful?) some of the college kids walked by and asked what we were doing. When I replied, "Land Run for the elementary school" one of the college boys paused, got a nostalgic look on his face, and said, "Ahhh, the Land Run. That was one of the funnest days in school" which prompted some of the other parents to talk about how much *they* enjoyed the Land Run when they did it.
Um, hello? I grew up in Oklahoma and attended this VERY SAME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, and *I* never got to do a Land Run! What's up with that????
So my question is, has anyone else done this? And even more unlikely, has anyone who attended school in any other STATE ever re-created the Oklahoma Land Run?
Me: “Well, yes, it’s the mascot of Oklahoma University.”
Child: “But do you know where that name came from? About how Sooners were the people who snuck across the starting line at the Oklahoma Land Run to claim their land early? And how they went SOONER than they were supposed to?”
Me: “Yes, I knew that, too.”
Child: “So my teacher said basically, Sooners are big fat cheaters.”
Me: “Well, um, I guess technically, yes, that is correct.”
Child: “So Dad is a cheater because he is a Sooner.”
Me: “Uh, your dad graduated from OU, but that doesn’t make him a cheater. Let’s just say that nowadays, being a Sooner might be more like someone who really wants to win, or who really wants to accomplish their goals.”
Child: “No, they’re big fat cheaters.”
Me: “Ok, you know, I think you’re not quite getting it. Back *then*, a Sooner was a cheater … it doesn’t mean that anyone who graduates from OU is a cheater.”
Child: “Yep, Sooners are cheaters.”
Me: “I'm telling you, being a Sooner now isn’t the same thing as being a Sooner then.”
Child, in a sing-song voice: “Dad is a cheater, Dad is a cheater!”
Me (tired sigh): “You do understand that your father didn’t actually PARTICIPATE in the original land run, don’t you???”
And with that, so marks the annual 4th grade re-enactment of the Oklahoma Land Run.
All kids had to dress the part of a pioneer. (And you KNOW how much I love costumes!! Actually, this was much easier to put together than the 70's outfit Brayden needed last week ..... man, I love costumes.) {please note heavy sarcasm} The only overalls I could find at Goodwill that were skinny enough to fit him were Ladies XS from the Gap. Please don't tell Kellen he was wearing ladies overalls. We borrowed the hat (thanks, Stephanie!) and personally, I thought the metal pail for his lunch was an extra-special touch. Explaining to him that it wouldn't be authentic if he carried a Lunchable and a Powerade in it was another story.
The kids were grouped up in "families" and made to keep journals chronicling their Land Run experience, including their preparations. And don't try to adjust your glasses or monitors .... I blurred Kellen's family faces since I didn't ask permission to post the photos on the internet. Kellen's group named themselves the "Johnson" family, and they had quite an elaborate plan of attack to ensure they would get the lot that they wanted.
If you'll notice, apparently that plan included Kellen and one other "family members" running like crazy to the lot after the principal fired the starter pistol, while the rest of the family got stuck hauling all the gear, including their "homestead".
Then, once you had the lot number, you had to run back to the surveyer's table and be the first to claim it. There was an ugly scene involving Kellen's family where three different families were trying to claim two lots .... the family next to Kellen's got bumped, and were NOT too happy about it. Plus, the teachers let a small group of kids sneak in early (hello, SOONERS!) and they totally snagged the lot my nephew wanted. Considering in the original land run, there was only enough land for one out of three who were trying, this was probably a pretty close re-enactment, but it made my stomach hurt because I want all the kids to be be happy and they WERE NOT. Even the Land Run scene in Far and Away makes my stomach hurt. But my sister told me that two years ago, my older nephew wound up in tears, so at least it wasn't that bad.
The Johnson Family with the deed to their land. My brother-in-law, who is an actual surveyer, marked off the land, plotted it with stakes, and notarized all the deeds. It was really pretty cool, if I do say so myself.
Then, of course, the best part of the day, LUNCH. Kellen took a bread and butter sandwich, an apple, and an oatcake. One boy in his group brought beef jerkey, one brought root beer, and one brought a pan of the most delicious cornbread I've ever
Then they played games, and even played impromptu baseball with the apple that I so lovingly packed, and called it a day. A very successful day, in my opinion.
This event takes place on the college campus near our school. As we were setting up (I tied the red flags to the stakes ... aren't they beautiful?) some of the college kids walked by and asked what we were doing. When I replied, "Land Run for the elementary school" one of the college boys paused, got a nostalgic look on his face, and said, "Ahhh, the Land Run. That was one of the funnest days in school" which prompted some of the other parents to talk about how much *they* enjoyed the Land Run when they did it.
Um, hello? I grew up in Oklahoma and attended this VERY SAME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, and *I* never got to do a Land Run! What's up with that????
So my question is, has anyone else done this? And even more unlikely, has anyone who attended school in any other STATE ever re-created the Oklahoma Land Run?
Friday, April 11, 2008
The forbidden game
So, home-schooling. I’ve never really given much of an opinion on the subject because quite frankly, I don’t have much of an opinion. I think it is an option that for some families works great, and for some families, is an excuse not to deal with public school. I think public school works pretty well for most kids, mine included, and I also imagine there are plenty of kids in public school who would be better off if they were home-schooled. I know kids who have been home-schooled and who did great, and I know a couple of kids (who are now adults) who were home-schooled and never made it past the 8th grade. Like pretty much every thing in life, there’s good, bad, and ugly when it comes to home-schooling, and I try to take it all with a grain of salt. I’ve never considered home-schooling my own kids because we’ve had good public school experiences, and also because I think it’s important that it be done well, and quite frankly, I am way too lazy and un-disciplined.
So, all that to tell you --- I was at the gym yesterday (I know! Four days in a row this week!!! But that crap they tell you about the endorphins kicking in? TOTAL LIE.) and apparently I was there at the same time as a home-schooling co-op or whatever it’s called. Probably fifty kids or so, total. The older kids were playing volleyball on one end of the gym, as I walked around the track that circles one floor above the gym. So as I was walking, I had a really good view of everything that was taking place below me. And for the record, volleyball, at least the way those teenage girls were playing it, is NOT a very aerobic activity, unless standing on the court with their arms crossed over their chests, with bored expressions on their faces, counts as aerobic PE activity. I've worked up more of a sweat bowling.
The younger kids, however, were turned loose three or four at a time to run the same track I was on. So now, not only are old ladies passing me as I walk, but elementary age kids are flying by me as well. Whatever. It probably wouldn’t have bothered me if the little hooligans had the decency to be winded, but they didn’t even break a sweat, speedy little turds. (No, I’m not jealous of their ability to run forever without even panting, why do you ask?)
Then, the teacher gathered all the young kids below, on the other half of the gym. She put half the kids on one side, half the kids on the other, and lined a bunch of balls up on the middle line. And as I walked around the track, watching below, I thought to myself, “Hmmm, that looks an awful lot like she’s setting up for a game of dodgeball. But she can’t be; everyone knows that dodgeball has been basically eliminated from the public school system because of the damage it causes the kids’ self esteem by encouraging the strong to pick on the weak." :cough: bullshit :cough:
Right? Isn’t that right? I didn’t think kids played dodge-ball anymore in schools,because it was so un p.c., but sure enough, she blew that whistle and BAM! Those kids were off and running. Grabbing balls, throwing, ducking, jumping, yelling …… they looked like they were having fun. A lot of fun. In fact, I’m pretty sure Kellen would have loved to be right in the middle of it.
So about the time I’m thinking I might need to re-vamp our homeschool position, or at least see if I can homeschool, but only for recess, I decided to ask my kids what *they* were taking in gym lately.
“Pinball”, said Brayden
“Pinball? What’s pinball?” I asked
“Another word for dodgeball” was her reply.
Ahhhh, good to know the public humiliation of dodgeball still exists. And even better to know I can leave my kids in public school, which is MUCH less work for me!
So, all that to tell you --- I was at the gym yesterday (I know! Four days in a row this week!!! But that crap they tell you about the endorphins kicking in? TOTAL LIE.) and apparently I was there at the same time as a home-schooling co-op or whatever it’s called. Probably fifty kids or so, total. The older kids were playing volleyball on one end of the gym, as I walked around the track that circles one floor above the gym. So as I was walking, I had a really good view of everything that was taking place below me. And for the record, volleyball, at least the way those teenage girls were playing it, is NOT a very aerobic activity, unless standing on the court with their arms crossed over their chests, with bored expressions on their faces, counts as aerobic PE activity. I've worked up more of a sweat bowling.
The younger kids, however, were turned loose three or four at a time to run the same track I was on. So now, not only are old ladies passing me as I walk, but elementary age kids are flying by me as well. Whatever. It probably wouldn’t have bothered me if the little hooligans had the decency to be winded, but they didn’t even break a sweat, speedy little turds. (No, I’m not jealous of their ability to run forever without even panting, why do you ask?)
Then, the teacher gathered all the young kids below, on the other half of the gym. She put half the kids on one side, half the kids on the other, and lined a bunch of balls up on the middle line. And as I walked around the track, watching below, I thought to myself, “Hmmm, that looks an awful lot like she’s setting up for a game of dodgeball. But she can’t be; everyone knows that dodgeball has been basically eliminated from the public school system because of the damage it causes the kids’ self esteem by encouraging the strong to pick on the weak." :cough: bullshit :cough:
Right? Isn’t that right? I didn’t think kids played dodge-ball anymore in schools,because it was so un p.c., but sure enough, she blew that whistle and BAM! Those kids were off and running. Grabbing balls, throwing, ducking, jumping, yelling …… they looked like they were having fun. A lot of fun. In fact, I’m pretty sure Kellen would have loved to be right in the middle of it.
So about the time I’m thinking I might need to re-vamp our homeschool position, or at least see if I can homeschool, but only for recess, I decided to ask my kids what *they* were taking in gym lately.
“Pinball”, said Brayden
“Pinball? What’s pinball?” I asked
“Another word for dodgeball” was her reply.
Ahhhh, good to know the public humiliation of dodgeball still exists. And even better to know I can leave my kids in public school, which is MUCH less work for me!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Enough is Enough
I like my kids' new school, I really do. I like the teachers, I like the administration, I like that it’s less than fifty yards from my house, I like the activities they offer, I like the parent involvement, I like that the other kids have been welcoming and kind.
What I do NOT like, however, is this school’s freaky obsession with costumes. And any extra-curricular or academic activity that brings about a need for costumes. Costumes that parents – specifically, UN-CREATIVE parents like me – have to provide. Does anyone realize this stress this causes me? And why does it keep happening?
Our first week of school here, literally, the very first week, they had their annual school-wide Vocabulary Day, where every single student in the entire school was assigned a different, grade-appropriate vocabulary word. Each student was to put together a costume that represented that word, then take part in a parade, before standing in front of their classmates -- in their costume -- to read the definition.
In theory? A terribly cute idea. But for a mom who hadn’t even unpacked half her household belongings, let alone had any idea where the craft stuff was, it was way too much pressure right off the bat.
Kellen’s word was “decillion”. Do you know what a decillion is? No? I didn’t either. I was quickly told a decillion is a one, with thirty-three zeroes after it. Never mind that we were still eating off paper plates because I hadn’t unpacked dishes, and that we’d all been wearing the same underwear for three days because I hadn't found the laundry soap, I needed to drop everything and come up with a costume for decillion. In hindsight, I should have just made him stand up straight and made a tail with thirty three paper rings, but at the time, I completely panicked. Fortunately, his teacher took pity on me and made him a sign to wear around his neck that said basically, “I am a Decillion”.
Kendrie’s word was “crazy”. I stuck a Dr. Suess-type hat on her head and sent her off to school. A better example of crazy would have been my face, on a life-size 3-d billboard, with my eyes bugging out and my hair standing on end, but I just didn’t have time.
I don’t even remember what Brayden’s word was because bless her heart, I didn’t even try with a costume. Her teacher sent home a note saying she could be exempt, as a new student, and I took it and ran.
Less than a month later, the gifted program put on a Live Museum, where the kids dress up as certain characters, then “come to life” when a student pushes a sticker on their hand. Kellen had to dress up as a famous Oklahoman, so we went with Johnny Bench and I bought a vintage baseball (read: real wool and itchy!) uniform on ebay. Kendrie was to dress up as a famous author, or one of their characters, so I purchased a Harry Potter costume, also online, and Kendrie described the works of JK Rowling. Sure, I know store-bought (or ebay bought, in this case) is kind of cheating, especially compared to the parents who obviously spent hours and hours working on their kids' costumes …. But remember, I’m the kid who went as a hobo every year for Halloween because I don’t have a creative bone in my body.
Right after the Christmas holidays, the 5th grade held their Colonial Fair, and in addition to making a poster and building a booth and selling your wares, wearing a stinking Colonial Fair outfit made up part of the grade! Thank goodness for online shopping, is all I’m saying, so that Brayden could truly look the part of a young Colonial girl, and not fail 5th grade history just because her mom couldn’t sew a muslim dress and white puffy kerchief hat if my life depended on it.
But the final insult came today, when ALL THREE kids brought home notes that next Friday is the school-wide! Book! Character! Day! With lots of exclamation points!!!!
Each kid is to pick one of their favorite books and write a report about the book … a report they have to read in front of their class, dressed as a character from that book.
Are you kidding me???
Kellen, thank goodness, was willing to recycle Kendrie’s Harry Potter costume from the Live Museum, so that’s one down. Now I just have to refresh his memory of the book for the report.
Brayden had already selected Harriet the Spy without telling me, bless her heart, because she said, “The costume will be easy, Mom, it’s just jeans and a hoodie!” I appreciate her trying, but then we took a good look at the book and realized we also have to get glasses, a tool belt of some sort, and various and sundry spy items to hang from said tool belt. Egads.
And Kendrie, well, I don’t have a clue what she’s going to do. First she wanted to be Clifford, of all things, which I totally don’t understand since she hasn’t read any Clifford books in about four years. Then she wanted to be one of the kids from the Magic Tree House series, which I said was an awesome idea, especially if they ever wore vintage wool baseball uniforms in any of the books, because we could recycle that as well. Maybe I should convince her that her favorite book is Audie Murphy’s “To Hell and Back” and I could recycle Kellen’s book report from last month and have her wear her army costume from Halloween.
Oh, fuck it. She can just go as a hobo.
**And let’s not forget the 4th grade re-enactment of the Sooner Land Rush that takes part later this spring, and the Land-Rush-y costume I have to get for Kellen. What is WITH these people???
What I do NOT like, however, is this school’s freaky obsession with costumes. And any extra-curricular or academic activity that brings about a need for costumes. Costumes that parents – specifically, UN-CREATIVE parents like me – have to provide. Does anyone realize this stress this causes me? And why does it keep happening?
Our first week of school here, literally, the very first week, they had their annual school-wide Vocabulary Day, where every single student in the entire school was assigned a different, grade-appropriate vocabulary word. Each student was to put together a costume that represented that word, then take part in a parade, before standing in front of their classmates -- in their costume -- to read the definition.
In theory? A terribly cute idea. But for a mom who hadn’t even unpacked half her household belongings, let alone had any idea where the craft stuff was, it was way too much pressure right off the bat.
Kellen’s word was “decillion”. Do you know what a decillion is? No? I didn’t either. I was quickly told a decillion is a one, with thirty-three zeroes after it. Never mind that we were still eating off paper plates because I hadn’t unpacked dishes, and that we’d all been wearing the same underwear for three days because I hadn't found the laundry soap, I needed to drop everything and come up with a costume for decillion. In hindsight, I should have just made him stand up straight and made a tail with thirty three paper rings, but at the time, I completely panicked. Fortunately, his teacher took pity on me and made him a sign to wear around his neck that said basically, “I am a Decillion”.
Kendrie’s word was “crazy”. I stuck a Dr. Suess-type hat on her head and sent her off to school. A better example of crazy would have been my face, on a life-size 3-d billboard, with my eyes bugging out and my hair standing on end, but I just didn’t have time.
I don’t even remember what Brayden’s word was because bless her heart, I didn’t even try with a costume. Her teacher sent home a note saying she could be exempt, as a new student, and I took it and ran.
Less than a month later, the gifted program put on a Live Museum, where the kids dress up as certain characters, then “come to life” when a student pushes a sticker on their hand. Kellen had to dress up as a famous Oklahoman, so we went with Johnny Bench and I bought a vintage baseball (read: real wool and itchy!) uniform on ebay. Kendrie was to dress up as a famous author, or one of their characters, so I purchased a Harry Potter costume, also online, and Kendrie described the works of JK Rowling. Sure, I know store-bought (or ebay bought, in this case) is kind of cheating, especially compared to the parents who obviously spent hours and hours working on their kids' costumes …. But remember, I’m the kid who went as a hobo every year for Halloween because I don’t have a creative bone in my body.
Right after the Christmas holidays, the 5th grade held their Colonial Fair, and in addition to making a poster and building a booth and selling your wares, wearing a stinking Colonial Fair outfit made up part of the grade! Thank goodness for online shopping, is all I’m saying, so that Brayden could truly look the part of a young Colonial girl, and not fail 5th grade history just because her mom couldn’t sew a muslim dress and white puffy kerchief hat if my life depended on it.
But the final insult came today, when ALL THREE kids brought home notes that next Friday is the school-wide! Book! Character! Day! With lots of exclamation points!!!!
Each kid is to pick one of their favorite books and write a report about the book … a report they have to read in front of their class, dressed as a character from that book.
Are you kidding me???
Kellen, thank goodness, was willing to recycle Kendrie’s Harry Potter costume from the Live Museum, so that’s one down. Now I just have to refresh his memory of the book for the report.
Brayden had already selected Harriet the Spy without telling me, bless her heart, because she said, “The costume will be easy, Mom, it’s just jeans and a hoodie!” I appreciate her trying, but then we took a good look at the book and realized we also have to get glasses, a tool belt of some sort, and various and sundry spy items to hang from said tool belt. Egads.
And Kendrie, well, I don’t have a clue what she’s going to do. First she wanted to be Clifford, of all things, which I totally don’t understand since she hasn’t read any Clifford books in about four years. Then she wanted to be one of the kids from the Magic Tree House series, which I said was an awesome idea, especially if they ever wore vintage wool baseball uniforms in any of the books, because we could recycle that as well. Maybe I should convince her that her favorite book is Audie Murphy’s “To Hell and Back” and I could recycle Kellen’s book report from last month and have her wear her army costume from Halloween.
Oh, fuck it. She can just go as a hobo.
**And let’s not forget the 4th grade re-enactment of the Sooner Land Rush that takes part later this spring, and the Land-Rush-y costume I have to get for Kellen. What is WITH these people???
Sunday, January 06, 2008
The only thing …
The only thing more grueling than trying to keep three high-energy kids entertained during a too-cold-to-play-outside-for-most-of-it Christmas Break with nothing but a paint roller for company?
The anticipation of getting them up at 6:30 am for their first day back to school.
It’s 10 pm now, and they are still going strong upstairs. I hear running. I hear squealing. I hear laughing. I hear yelling. Their’s, and Blaine’s.
Lord, deliver me from tomorrow morning. Thank you in advance.
The anticipation of getting them up at 6:30 am for their first day back to school.
It’s 10 pm now, and they are still going strong upstairs. I hear running. I hear squealing. I hear laughing. I hear yelling. Their’s, and Blaine’s.
Lord, deliver me from tomorrow morning. Thank you in advance.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
First Day of School Photos
Several of you have asked for photos of the kids’ first day at their new school. Obviously, you know me and my camera obsession well. Happy, smiling children, laden down with new backpacks and school supplies, smiling their “We’re excited but a little nervous, too” smiles.
We were still staying with my mom at this point, and planned to drive to the new house, park, and then walk to school. Leaving at the precise-right moment, it was a foolproof plan, designed to ensure our arrival at the new school not too early and not too late.
Mother Nature had other things in mind.
I mean, what the heck is THIS???? Ice on my windshield? This wasn’t in the plans ….. I’m not even sure I own an ice scraper.
So obviously, we were running late before we even got started. And while it’s one thing to be the new kids, the ones with the parents walking you to class, especially parents who are a little bit flustered because their foolproof plan didn’t work out exactly as planned, causing you to panic that you’ll be late the first day, it is quite another thing to be the new kids, running late, with parents chasing after you with a camera.
So no pictures of the kids their first day.
But look at this.
Even my Elvis antenna ball is iced over. That’s just not right.
We were still staying with my mom at this point, and planned to drive to the new house, park, and then walk to school. Leaving at the precise-right moment, it was a foolproof plan, designed to ensure our arrival at the new school not too early and not too late.
Mother Nature had other things in mind.
I mean, what the heck is THIS???? Ice on my windshield? This wasn’t in the plans ….. I’m not even sure I own an ice scraper.
So obviously, we were running late before we even got started. And while it’s one thing to be the new kids, the ones with the parents walking you to class, especially parents who are a little bit flustered because their foolproof plan didn’t work out exactly as planned, causing you to panic that you’ll be late the first day, it is quite another thing to be the new kids, running late, with parents chasing after you with a camera.
So no pictures of the kids their first day.
But look at this.
Even my Elvis antenna ball is iced over. That’s just not right.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Rocky Road
Thanks to all of you for your kind comments on my 100 Things List, and also for the anniversary wishes for Blaine and me. Just like I used to think the age of 40 was old (but now I know it’s NOT, ahem) I also used to think being married twenty years was a long time. I guess it still is, by today’s standards; it’s just amazing how quickly it goes by. Next thing I know, I’ll look up and I’ll be dead. Depressing, actually.
We celebrated last Friday night by hiring a sitter, going out to dinner, and then parking in the Comfort Inn parking lot for a few hours and ………… hey, get your mind out of the gutter! We’re such party-animals, we rented a movie from Blockbuster, went to an ice cream shop and bought blasts (boring Vanilla with Oreo for Blaine, and the vastly superior Chocolate with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for me … seriously, who gets *vanilla*??? I mean, who’s he kidding? “Vanilla” will never make the next 100 Things list, that’s for sure) and then we parked the van and watched the movie in our DVD player, stretched out across the bench seat in the back, enjoying our ice cream.
I know …. twentieth wedding anniversary and we spend it eating ice cream and watching "The Pursuit of Happyness" in the back seat of our van --- how pathetic are we??? Losers. (Us, not you.) Actually, it was kind of fun, and I imagine we’ll remember it much longer than if we’d gone to a regular ole’ theater, don’t you think?
Blaine liked the scrapbook, and since I couldn’t afford the gift he really wanted (a two-week trip to Canada to hunt upland game, complete with luxury lodge accommodations and private waterfowl guide) then he’s just going to have to be satisfied with the album until this summer. That’s when we’re doing the BIG celebration by taking a long-anticipated cruise to Alaska, sans children, with our good friends Keith and Renee’. I’m so excited for that trip I can hardly stand myself, but in the meantime, Blockbuster and ice cream works just fine for me. I’m very low maintenance, you know. (Blaine is snorting in the background as he reads over my shoulder; mocking, in particular, that very last sentence. He better watch it, or he won’t reach the next twenty.)
In the meantime, the rest of our week raced by in a blur of end-of-the-school-year activities, culminating in the class parties this afternoon. And by “activities”, I mean “me, making thirty-seven trips to the grocery store to buy all the juice and food and ice cream and crap for the end-of-the-year parties for all three kids”. Thank you Jesus for the very few parents who chipped in and actually helped; the rest of the parents can visit me in debtors prison considering how expensive it was. Not that I’m whining and complaining, because that would be negative.
I’m just amazed at the parents who haven’t shown up to a single thing all year, haven’t shown their faces or volunteered one damn minute out of one damn day out of the entire year; who can sit and watch one or two women pull out all the paper goods and food and snacks and drinks they’ve purchased, with their own money, not lift a finger to help set up or clean up; just sit there without offering to help or anything, where do they think the money to buy this stuff came from better yet did my friend Sonya pull four large pizzas OUT OF HER ASS??? --- yet they feel perfectly comfortable helping themselves to pizza and drinks and ice cream sundaes, and getting it for their other children, as well, without chipping in and without lifting a finger.
Obviously I’m tired and crabby and should perhaps delete this entry without posting it, because it perhaps give off the impression that I mind doing that sort of thing for my children. And I don't mind, I really don't. But a little more help from some of the other parents would have been nice. (Waaaah! I'm such a whiner!!!)
What matters is that the kids had a good time. We did our annual “Last Day of School” interviews here at the house this afternoon, and Kellen and Kendrie agree that the highlight of the year wasn’t the stellar education they received, or the friendships they cherished, or the wonderful teachers who nurtured their souls and fed their little minds intellectually --- nope, best part of the year was the unlimited ice cream on the last day.
Good ole’ Rocky Road.
We celebrated last Friday night by hiring a sitter, going out to dinner, and then parking in the Comfort Inn parking lot for a few hours and ………… hey, get your mind out of the gutter! We’re such party-animals, we rented a movie from Blockbuster, went to an ice cream shop and bought blasts (boring Vanilla with Oreo for Blaine, and the vastly superior Chocolate with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for me … seriously, who gets *vanilla*??? I mean, who’s he kidding? “Vanilla” will never make the next 100 Things list, that’s for sure) and then we parked the van and watched the movie in our DVD player, stretched out across the bench seat in the back, enjoying our ice cream.
I know …. twentieth wedding anniversary and we spend it eating ice cream and watching "The Pursuit of Happyness" in the back seat of our van --- how pathetic are we??? Losers. (Us, not you.) Actually, it was kind of fun, and I imagine we’ll remember it much longer than if we’d gone to a regular ole’ theater, don’t you think?
Blaine liked the scrapbook, and since I couldn’t afford the gift he really wanted (a two-week trip to Canada to hunt upland game, complete with luxury lodge accommodations and private waterfowl guide) then he’s just going to have to be satisfied with the album until this summer. That’s when we’re doing the BIG celebration by taking a long-anticipated cruise to Alaska, sans children, with our good friends Keith and Renee’. I’m so excited for that trip I can hardly stand myself, but in the meantime, Blockbuster and ice cream works just fine for me. I’m very low maintenance, you know. (Blaine is snorting in the background as he reads over my shoulder; mocking, in particular, that very last sentence. He better watch it, or he won’t reach the next twenty.)
In the meantime, the rest of our week raced by in a blur of end-of-the-school-year activities, culminating in the class parties this afternoon. And by “activities”, I mean “me, making thirty-seven trips to the grocery store to buy all the juice and food and ice cream and crap for the end-of-the-year parties for all three kids”. Thank you Jesus for the very few parents who chipped in and actually helped; the rest of the parents can visit me in debtors prison considering how expensive it was. Not that I’m whining and complaining, because that would be negative.
I’m just amazed at the parents who haven’t shown up to a single thing all year, haven’t shown their faces or volunteered one damn minute out of one damn day out of the entire year; who can sit and watch one or two women pull out all the paper goods and food and snacks and drinks they’ve purchased, with their own money, not lift a finger to help set up or clean up; just sit there without offering to help or anything, where do they think the money to buy this stuff came from better yet did my friend Sonya pull four large pizzas OUT OF HER ASS??? --- yet they feel perfectly comfortable helping themselves to pizza and drinks and ice cream sundaes, and getting it for their other children, as well, without chipping in and without lifting a finger.
Obviously I’m tired and crabby and should perhaps delete this entry without posting it, because it perhaps give off the impression that I mind doing that sort of thing for my children. And I don't mind, I really don't. But a little more help from some of the other parents would have been nice. (Waaaah! I'm such a whiner!!!)
What matters is that the kids had a good time. We did our annual “Last Day of School” interviews here at the house this afternoon, and Kellen and Kendrie agree that the highlight of the year wasn’t the stellar education they received, or the friendships they cherished, or the wonderful teachers who nurtured their souls and fed their little minds intellectually --- nope, best part of the year was the unlimited ice cream on the last day.
Good ole’ Rocky Road.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Take the Pebble from My Hand, Grasshopper
Proof of why I shouldn't homeschool.
Ever.
Did I mention, EVER?
Ever.
Did I mention, EVER?
Friday, August 05, 2005
CAN YOU HEAR THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS???
131 Days to Go
I suspected it was time for the kids to return to school when they complained, after swimming all day at our friend Renee’s house, going out to dinner, and playing with their new toys, that they were bored.
I suspected it was time for the kids to return to school when I suggested playing in the sprinklers and they said it was too hot and they didn’t want the grass seeds on their feet.
I suspected it was time for the kids to return to school when they started asking to eat Nerds candy for breakfast …. and I let them.
I KNEW it was time for the kids to return to school when Kellen discovered, yesterday, the age-old method of how to annoy the crap out of your big sister in the back seat of the van. Put your finger, and your face, right up to the dividing line in the middle of the back seats. Stare at her, but do not cross the line with your finger or any part of your body. Then, when the complaining from your sister annoys your mother, and your mother tells you to “Stay on your own side of the van!” you can honestly say that you are, and there’s nothing your sister can do about it.
I’ll explain *THIS* look, and why I suspect years of therapy are in our future, in my next journal entry. In the meantime, I’m going to sit back for the next half hour until it’s time to pick up my kids, revel in the silence, and maybe even eat a bon-bon or two.
Have a great weekend,
Kristie
I suspected it was time for the kids to return to school when they complained, after swimming all day at our friend Renee’s house, going out to dinner, and playing with their new toys, that they were bored.
I suspected it was time for the kids to return to school when I suggested playing in the sprinklers and they said it was too hot and they didn’t want the grass seeds on their feet.
I suspected it was time for the kids to return to school when they started asking to eat Nerds candy for breakfast …. and I let them.
I KNEW it was time for the kids to return to school when Kellen discovered, yesterday, the age-old method of how to annoy the crap out of your big sister in the back seat of the van. Put your finger, and your face, right up to the dividing line in the middle of the back seats. Stare at her, but do not cross the line with your finger or any part of your body. Then, when the complaining from your sister annoys your mother, and your mother tells you to “Stay on your own side of the van!” you can honestly say that you are, and there’s nothing your sister can do about it.
I’ll explain *THIS* look, and why I suspect years of therapy are in our future, in my next journal entry. In the meantime, I’m going to sit back for the next half hour until it’s time to pick up my kids, revel in the silence, and maybe even eat a bon-bon or two.
Have a great weekend,
Kristie
Friday, August 06, 2004
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
Week #9 (extended) of DI #2
“Dear Teacher,
Today, I turn some of my little girl’s life over to you. It is not easy for me, because I held her so tight when she was newborn. And I taught her and she felt the love of her family.
But today a new chapter in her life begins. And for a few hours, I will not be there to answer her questions, kiss her bruises, to “save her” from some pain, but you will be there.
Be kind, for she is small. She has so much to give, and so much to learn. And so for those few hours when she is yours, remember, I held her tightly, I share her dreams, her hopes.
Give her love and help her learn. And when the day is over, send her home unharmed.”
Author – Eden Taylor
I can’t even describe to you the pure joy and excitement that was Kendrie today, on her first day of Pre-Kindergarten. First of all, she was up and had eaten, dressed and brushed her teeth, sitting on the couch with her backpack strapped to her shoulders, proclaiming LOUDLY that we were all going to be LATE, at 7am. School doesn’t start until 8:30.
She RAN (I am not kidding; it was so cute but she was faster with her feet than I was with my camera) into the school and sighed loudly and fidgeted the entire time we were getting Brayden and Kellen settled into their rooms.
Finally, FINALLY it was time to take her to her room. Thanks to the meeting we had with some of the faculty earlier this week, plus the Open House on Wednesday, she knew exactly where to go and felt comfortable right away. At least I *think* she felt comfortable, she wouldn’t stop playing with the toys and exploring the room long enough to really stop and tell me.
We have been blessed with a teacher and a para-pro (teacher’s assistant) in her room who are both warm and caring, and extremely receptive my many quirks and paranoia’s as a cancer-parent. Kellen and Brayden both got teachers who are also receptive to our requests …honestly, the year couldn’t have gotten off to a better start.
I think Kendrie was so excited to start school this year for several reasons … first of all, thanks to the Georgia lottery and public education funding, she’s attending the same all-day elementary school that her siblings have attended the past two years; obviously that makes her a big girl. In fact, she’s practically a grown up now, and she proceeded to show us by pouring ALL of her own milk today. (Of course, she neglected to put the milk back in the fridge afterwards and kept leaving it out on the counter … but maybe that little tidbit of responsibility will come later.)
Secondly, what kid wouldn’t be thrilled for any chance to own a Scooby Doo backpack? Notice the Purell attached to as many places as I could find???
And third, I think she was just plain sick and tired of being stuck at home with me these past nine months. For those of you who aren’t as familiar with her story …. (I’ll keep it brief, I promise) she had previously attended a full-year of private pre-school and was about seven weeks into the second year at the same school, with the same teacher, when she was diagnosed last October with leukemia. Although she loved school and her oncologist encouraged us to leave her in, we panicked a bit and decided to pull her out through the holidays. We toyed with the idea of sending her back in January, but decided against it. (The fact that the school sold her slot to another child the week after she got sick might have had something to do with it, but maybe that's just me being bitter and angry that they never so much as called one single time to check on her ... I mean, come on, would a phone call have hurt them??? Oh wait, there I go again!)
So, for the rest of the year, she was home-bound, with just Mommy, Dora and a whole lot of Clifford for company. I go back and forth in my mind ………. She was so healthy that she probably would have been ok in school ………. Or was she so healthy because I kept her home with me and didn’t send her to school?? Who knows which answer is correct? The million-dollar question regarding the chicken vs. egg dilemma is next.
Irregardless, she has waited a long time for her turn back in a classroom, hanging with her homies, and was ecstatic to go to school this morning. It was a little bittersweet for me, not because (as some might think) that she’s my baby and now they’ve all left the nest for elementary education seven hours a day, but because as I watched her zip around the room, meeting the other kids, finding her cubby, exploring her new world, I couldn’t help but think back to nine months ago, when we were terrified she wouldn’t even live, let alone be as happy and adjusted as she was on her first day of Pre-Kindergarten. I can guarantee you that while many of the parents dropping their kids off this first morning, taking pictures with the teachers and peeking in the rooms for one final goodbye probably love their kids just as much as me, NO ONE loved their kids MORE than me this morning. Today, seeing the happiness on her face, was my reminder that life does go on in spite of cancer, and some days it is damn good.
On the medical front, her counts weren’t quite recovered enough after that last DI to have chemo this week and start the maintenance part of therapy. That means the clinic appointment was pushed back until next week and she’ll miss one of the first days of school for chemo and a spinal tap, but that’s ok. The silver lining is that meant we got to spend our final day of summer doing FUN stuff like swimming and having dinner at a Japanese Steakhouse (where Kendrie leaned over to me during the meal and asked if *everyone* who worked there could speak Spanish?) It also means she won’t be on steroids the first full week of school. (Probably more of a blessing for her teachers, ha!) So now for we’re on “pause” with instructions to have her counts checked again next week when they will most likely be high enough to continue the chemotherapy.
I hope you have a great week in the meantime,
Kristie
#####################################################
KENDRIE'S PERSPECTIVE:
WORST PART ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY: "What, me? Cancer didn't slow me down one bit today! I am a full-time STUDENT, baby!"
BEST PART ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY: "I get permission to wear hats to school, but to be honest, once the novelty wears off I think I'll skip it. It's just one more thing for me to keep up with and my cool Scooby Doo backpack is already pretty full!"
“Dear Teacher,
Today, I turn some of my little girl’s life over to you. It is not easy for me, because I held her so tight when she was newborn. And I taught her and she felt the love of her family.
But today a new chapter in her life begins. And for a few hours, I will not be there to answer her questions, kiss her bruises, to “save her” from some pain, but you will be there.
Be kind, for she is small. She has so much to give, and so much to learn. And so for those few hours when she is yours, remember, I held her tightly, I share her dreams, her hopes.
Give her love and help her learn. And when the day is over, send her home unharmed.”
Author – Eden Taylor
I can’t even describe to you the pure joy and excitement that was Kendrie today, on her first day of Pre-Kindergarten. First of all, she was up and had eaten, dressed and brushed her teeth, sitting on the couch with her backpack strapped to her shoulders, proclaiming LOUDLY that we were all going to be LATE, at 7am. School doesn’t start until 8:30.
She RAN (I am not kidding; it was so cute but she was faster with her feet than I was with my camera) into the school and sighed loudly and fidgeted the entire time we were getting Brayden and Kellen settled into their rooms.
Finally, FINALLY it was time to take her to her room. Thanks to the meeting we had with some of the faculty earlier this week, plus the Open House on Wednesday, she knew exactly where to go and felt comfortable right away. At least I *think* she felt comfortable, she wouldn’t stop playing with the toys and exploring the room long enough to really stop and tell me.
We have been blessed with a teacher and a para-pro (teacher’s assistant) in her room who are both warm and caring, and extremely receptive my many quirks and paranoia’s as a cancer-parent. Kellen and Brayden both got teachers who are also receptive to our requests …honestly, the year couldn’t have gotten off to a better start.
I think Kendrie was so excited to start school this year for several reasons … first of all, thanks to the Georgia lottery and public education funding, she’s attending the same all-day elementary school that her siblings have attended the past two years; obviously that makes her a big girl. In fact, she’s practically a grown up now, and she proceeded to show us by pouring ALL of her own milk today. (Of course, she neglected to put the milk back in the fridge afterwards and kept leaving it out on the counter … but maybe that little tidbit of responsibility will come later.)
Secondly, what kid wouldn’t be thrilled for any chance to own a Scooby Doo backpack? Notice the Purell attached to as many places as I could find???
And third, I think she was just plain sick and tired of being stuck at home with me these past nine months. For those of you who aren’t as familiar with her story …. (I’ll keep it brief, I promise) she had previously attended a full-year of private pre-school and was about seven weeks into the second year at the same school, with the same teacher, when she was diagnosed last October with leukemia. Although she loved school and her oncologist encouraged us to leave her in, we panicked a bit and decided to pull her out through the holidays. We toyed with the idea of sending her back in January, but decided against it. (The fact that the school sold her slot to another child the week after she got sick might have had something to do with it, but maybe that's just me being bitter and angry that they never so much as called one single time to check on her ... I mean, come on, would a phone call have hurt them??? Oh wait, there I go again!)
So, for the rest of the year, she was home-bound, with just Mommy, Dora and a whole lot of Clifford for company. I go back and forth in my mind ………. She was so healthy that she probably would have been ok in school ………. Or was she so healthy because I kept her home with me and didn’t send her to school?? Who knows which answer is correct? The million-dollar question regarding the chicken vs. egg dilemma is next.
Irregardless, she has waited a long time for her turn back in a classroom, hanging with her homies, and was ecstatic to go to school this morning. It was a little bittersweet for me, not because (as some might think) that she’s my baby and now they’ve all left the nest for elementary education seven hours a day, but because as I watched her zip around the room, meeting the other kids, finding her cubby, exploring her new world, I couldn’t help but think back to nine months ago, when we were terrified she wouldn’t even live, let alone be as happy and adjusted as she was on her first day of Pre-Kindergarten. I can guarantee you that while many of the parents dropping their kids off this first morning, taking pictures with the teachers and peeking in the rooms for one final goodbye probably love their kids just as much as me, NO ONE loved their kids MORE than me this morning. Today, seeing the happiness on her face, was my reminder that life does go on in spite of cancer, and some days it is damn good.
On the medical front, her counts weren’t quite recovered enough after that last DI to have chemo this week and start the maintenance part of therapy. That means the clinic appointment was pushed back until next week and she’ll miss one of the first days of school for chemo and a spinal tap, but that’s ok. The silver lining is that meant we got to spend our final day of summer doing FUN stuff like swimming and having dinner at a Japanese Steakhouse (where Kendrie leaned over to me during the meal and asked if *everyone* who worked there could speak Spanish?) It also means she won’t be on steroids the first full week of school. (Probably more of a blessing for her teachers, ha!) So now for we’re on “pause” with instructions to have her counts checked again next week when they will most likely be high enough to continue the chemotherapy.
I hope you have a great week in the meantime,
Kristie
#####################################################
KENDRIE'S PERSPECTIVE:
WORST PART ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY: "What, me? Cancer didn't slow me down one bit today! I am a full-time STUDENT, baby!"
BEST PART ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY: "I get permission to wear hats to school, but to be honest, once the novelty wears off I think I'll skip it. It's just one more thing for me to keep up with and my cool Scooby Doo backpack is already pretty full!"
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