Just The Mention Of It......

This was sent home with Cy the other day.  I immediately checked every one's hair, and made Dave check mine.  I have checked every body's hair everyday since.  We're all clear, but....

ugh....

I CAN'T STOP ITCHING.

What is it about the just the mention of lice that suddenly makes your head itch?

Makes me want to never wash our hair again.  (Lice actually prefer clean hair.  Go figure?!?!  As it turns out, the dirtier your hair, the less likely the lice are going to want to suck on your scalp.)

Blah.

I hate this part of having school age kids.

*Lillie over at Lillie's Blog  wrote about her experience with lice here.  It's kinda of funny....but only because it wasn't me, you know?

Cotton Balls = Love?

Showing that she still has what it takes to dominate a paper route.

 This is my sister Kolette.

AKA: Doko

AKA: Little Raisin

AKA:  The Mom

Look Mom!  No Hands!

She is older than me by six years and has taught me some very important life lessons over the years.  She taught me how to get a mini-van stuck on a cement parking spot divider in the Target parking lot.  Then she taught me how to look desperate enough so a group of Hispanic men (after they were done laughing at us) would take pity on us and lift the van off the cement block.  She taught me how to give (and receive) a dead arm/leg.  From her, I learned how to flirt (she was a pro!), how to pick the smallest (and the easiest) room to clean during chore time, and that popcorn dipped into nacho cheese sauce while at the movies is DA BOMB!

Kolette was with me at my infamous mission physical, where my eye condition was finally given a proper name.  She then got such a kick out of that name that she proceeded to tell everyone in our family the story of my large protruding eyes. She also introduced me to the pain that is waxing and I ain't talking eyebrows here people!

I talk to her at least once a day.  Usually it's 3-4 times a day.  When Dave asks me what we talk about I can't really relate everything back to him word for word, so I just say "stuff".  He doesn't get it.  I call her for advice on mothering, being a wife, cleaning, food (okay, well usually not food.  Doko doesn't cook much because when school starts she pretty much has to live in her car). 

Here she is giving me pointers on how to ride a bike since I was a bit rusty.

I truly value her opinion and advice, which is why I've taken the recent life lesson that she has taught me to heart and have started to implement it into my life.

Buying your child's teacher's love.

Most often your child's teacher will put out a wishlist for the parents, of things she/he needs or desires.  Kolette taught me to get her/him whatever they ask for (if you can afford to do so) and to DO IT IN BULK.  Her simple strategy is that the more you help out the teacher, the more they will love and adore your child.  The teacher will know that they can depend on you, and their trust and adoration is sure to transfer onto your child! 

So, recently when Cy's teacher requested some cotton balls, room snacks, toilet paper rolls, and composition notebooks, I thought, "Hey, I could do that!" Off I went to our local Wally World and Sam's!  I got her 7 notebooks (she only asked for 1), 3 bags of cotton balls (200 count), a big container of cheese balls, and I am in the process of collecting all the toilet paper rolls I can find!  She was shocked!  She was thrilled!  Dare I say, she was in LOVE!  YES!  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Buying the love and affection of Cy's teacher one cotton ball at a time!

Thank you Kolette!  Consider another valuable life lesson, learned!

*Still waiting on the wishlist for Princess' teacher.  Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about purchasing her love and affection as well.

definitly NOT on the diet

Remember when  I talked about the BWLC?  Well, to celebrate me the kids surviving making it through the first week of school I we decided to go out and celebrate by stuffing my face with every greasy, and unhealthy thing I could find by going out to dinner and dessert.  We hit our local Johnny Rockets (Where kids eat free all day, every day *with the purchase of an adult entree and beverage) (Always read the fine print.  Trust me.  That way you don't go in under the mistaken assumption that you can order water with your food and end up having to spend like an extra 6 bucks on drinks.  I'm not bitter.  Okay, maybe just a little.)  Johnny Rockets also happens to be next to our FAVORITE yogurt shop, Yogurtland.  Yum!  Seriously, that should be the name of the place, Yogurtland...Yum!  That would be awesome.  Maybe I should send them an email.....

Anyhow, this night out was decidedly NOT on the diet, but it was glorious!  The carbs that we consumed were like manna from heaven.  They were like rain to a drought ravaged land.  They were like.....well you get the idea.  So here, for your viewing pleasure, is photographic evidence of our gluttony.  Enjoy!  We sure did!

The older they get, the harder it is to get a real natural smile in a picture.  What's up with that?!?!

And WHY can't they ever freakin' look at the camera!!!!

Because sitting still for any amount of time is too much to ask......

Cy's favorite ketchup art, a pirate! (or so he said.)

My Double Patty Bacon Cheeseburger.  In my defense, I did ONLY want the single patty, but Dave and I were sharing entrees and he demanded requested the double.  IT WAS SO GOOD.  Seriously, my mouth is salivating as I'm typing.

Dave's Chicken Bacon Club.  It was pretty good too.

After inhaling enjoying "all the fries you can eat", we loosened our belt buckles, unbuttoned our pants, and headed over to Yogurtland (insert Hallelujah chorus here).

She NEVER finishes her yogurt.  Who's kid is this?!?!

My divine masterpiece.  Kay, now my drooling is just getting embarrassing....

I was sharing with the Beast, or trying too, he liked Dave's better.  Works for me!

This is one of their new flavors.  I wanted to stick my mouth under the spout and eat it by the gallon but I wasn't sure how they would weigh that, so.....I restrained myself. (Also, Dave threatened to leave me if I embarrassed him.  Whatever, he should totally be used to that by now)

A true Yogurtland master at work. 

I'm already looking for the next reason to go out and celebrate.  I'm thinking the fact that I just wrote this blog is reason enough!  It should at least get me a trip to Yogurtland, don't ya think?

What?!?!

Fine.

I'll wait til something more worthwhile comes along like winning the freakin' BWLC.

Then I'm gonna gorge myself silly!

You're gonna have to roll me outta there!  Three cheers for Yogurtland!

Funny thing happened on the way to the forum....

Err, I mean school, this morning.  The car wouldn't start.  Turns out when we got home (late) last night from our adventure on the east side (you can read all about it tomorrow), one of the kids turned on one of the lights in the car.  We didn't notice, so it was left on all night, one thing led to another,..... yada, yada, yada......dead battery.

Now, did I mention it was a late night?  Good.  So if you can imagine, the kids were already struggling.  Poor Cy got drunk on fun and sugar, and had quite the hangover this morning.  Seriously.  He woke up complaining of a headache and saying his tummy hurt.  As my dad would always tell us after a night of staying up late and partying, "If you want to dance, you've got to pay the Fiddler!"  So, I told Cy to go poop, gave him his breakfast with a shot of Tylenol, got him dressed, and sent him on his way.

Or so I thought.....

After getting the kids in the car, Dave came back inside to tell me that the van was dead.  Dave jumped the car with his truck, and was able to get the kids to school on time (ya, cuz like that's not hard enough as it is!!!!!!  Throw a dead car battery into the gears and we come to a screechin' halt!).  When he came home I inquired if all was well.  He assured me it was and that the battery would recharge as we drove it around.

Now, just a little background info, we have one family vehicle that can fit all of us.  ONE.  We depend on this van to take us to church, to the store, and especially to school.  I leave my house AT LEAST three times a day in that van; drop-off, kinder pick-up, and 1st grade pick-up.  I am not carpooling with anyone this year.  I have no one I can fall back on "just in case" my car isn't working the way it should.  Me, not having a functioning safe vehicle, is NOT an option.

So fast forward to this morning when my husband assured me that all was well.  Because I am the paranoid practical sort, I asked Dave if he would check the van before he left for work.  He yielded to my paranoid practical tendencies, and graciously consented to check the car before he left, all the while assuring me that it would work just fine.

Guess what?

He was wrong.

For once (okay, more than once) my paranoid practical tendency was completely justified.  Actually, this isn't the first time my OCD/paranoia practicality has benefited my family, remind me to tell you about the garage door....that's a good one....alas, a story for another time, back to the tale at hand.

After attempting, unsuccessfully I might add, to charge the battery once more, Dave, my knight in shining armor, drove off in his trusty steed (the green booger) to acquire me a new and free (the one we had to replace was relatively new and under warranty, YIPPEE!) battery.

Here is proof, just in case his boss reads my blog (ya right), that Dave really was an hour late for work because I, his damsel in distress, needed him to rescue me.  (Too cheesy?  A little over the top, perhaps?  Ah well.  Maybe I should have titled this blog Sir Dave-a-lot.  But then that reminds me of Sir Mix-a-lot and now I have that song, "I Like Big Butts and I cannot lie, you other brothers can't deny...." stuck in my head and now it's probably stuck in yours isn't it.  Right?  Right?!?!  Come on, you know it is!  Sorry, I digress, back to the proof in pictures.)

Hard at work.  See Bridget, see!

This is the usual face I get when I end up being right.  Dave doesn't like to encourage my paranoia practical tendencies.  He tolerates them, but he doesn't encourage them.

This school thing is going to kill me.

 
Today was the first "official" day of school.  Yesterday was just kindergarten orientation.  That makes two days in a row that I've been up at 6:45am.  6:45.  AM.  This sucks.  I am so freaking tired I can hardly see straight enough to write this blog. 

It's been rough on my kids too.  We put them to bed last night at 7.  Princess is always up around 6:20 (thank goodness for ipods.)  But Cy, he likes his sleep.  Last year we put him in afternoon kinder for just that reason.  Poor kid.  I tried to wake him up at 6:50.  No go.  So I went back in at 7 and he finally opened his eyes to a very fine slit and looked at me in disgust.  I was like, "Sorry kid, it's the law, you've got to get up!"  So he arose and shuffled to the kitchen table.  I put a nice big bowl of cinnamon toast crunch in front of him and then left to go get dressed.  When I came back he was just staring at his food.  He hadn't moved an inch! 

Great.  My kid is a zombie in the morning.  Who knew?  I snapped him out of it, yelled asked him to start eating and moved my attention over to Princess. 

I put a bowl of cheerios in front of her at 6:45.  She finished eating at 7:15.  A half an hour.....30 freaking minutes.....to eat a bowl of cereal?  Are you serious???  Yes, she's always been a slow eater, but we've never really been on such a time crunch before.  Arghhh!  I yell ask her to hurry up then I go brush my teeth, when I come back little Princess is NOWHERE to be found.  Guess where she was.  Just guess!

In bed!  IN FREAKING BED!  She told me she was still tired.  I just started laughing.  I mean really what else could you do at that point?!?!

I'm sure eventually we'll get the hang of it and they'll learn their new morning routine, but in the meantime this school thing is seriously going to kill me!

Still half-asleep, and starting 1st grade.  

Cy, new shoes; new backpack; old uniform from last year.  Like I said in my last post I buy clothes for my kids with room to grow.  Yes, his uniforms were a little big on him last year, and we may have had to roll the waistband on his shorts so they could fit, but who cares!  They fit him great now and I get two years worth of uniforms for the price of one!

Taking her sweet time with a siesta or two, and starting kindergarten.

Princess, new backpack; new uniform; old shoes.  Yep, those are her shoes from last year.  Why get her new ones when her old ones still fit????  Actually, these are hand-me-downs from my sister Yvette. I'm nothing if not practical!

Here's to the start of a new school year!  May it be a great one filled with learning, fun, and lots and lots of caffeine!

Kinder, baby!

Seriously, how cute is she!?!?  Love it!  Today was her kindergarten orientation.  She got to go listen to stories and do a fun activity, while Dave and I had to go to a bore-your-brain-out kind of meeting.  Dave had to skip out early because of work (RIGHT!! wink, wink, nudge, nudge).  I entertained myself during the meeting by playing on my phone.  After all, I had sat through the EXACT SAME meeting last year when Cy started Kindergarten. 

She was so excited and looked super cute in her uniform.  Can I even begin to tell you how much I LOVE uniforms.  Yes, having to buy your child a whole new wardrobe at the beginning of the school year can be a pain in the butt, HOWEVER if you think just a little bit ahead, and buy everything when the uniforms go on CLEARANCE, for the year to come, then it's not so bad.  When I buy clearance, I also make a point to buy everything a size or two larger than what I need.  I give my kids room to grow, in every sense of the word.   

Tomorrow is the first official day of school so be prepared for more pictures of Cy and Princess.  Princess is in half day kinder, so the Beast and I will have 3 hours together everyday.  Alone.  Just the two of us.  If you don't hear from me in a day or two it's most likely because he has me tied up and stuffed in the closet so that he can wreak havoc on my house to his little heart's content. 

Sigh.

I'm tired just thinking about it.