Red Ribbon Week

This week is the dreaded and infamous Red Ribbon Week at my oldest daughters school. I have no issue with this week and find it to be kind of helpful for older kids but, in Kindergarten she came home and asked me about drugs. Could have been a good conversation, but she was 5 and how in depth do you go with a 5 year old?

"Mommy, what are drugs?"

"Well, honey, drugs can be smoking or alcohol or some other things you smoke and some people take medicine that is from a Dr. but, they don't take it right."

"But, mommy, you drink beer and you have medicine from a dr."

"hmmm, yes I do but, I am an adult and I am allowed to do that and I take my medicine as it is prescribed to me."

"Then why are you saying that alcohol is a drug but, it is ok to drink it and what does purstripe mean?"

"Don't you have homework to do?"

"No."

"Do you want to watch a tv show?"

"YES."

Great...problem was solved. I am good like that.

Now she is in second grade and one of her assignments was to write a note to a parent at home. Why? I have no idea but, I found a note on my book by my bed last night and opened it up. It was so sweet. She wrote.."Daddy, I love you. You are the best daddy. I love you. Happy Red Ribbon week." There were hearts and ribbons all over the note. I thought it was so sweet even though it was to super hot hubby instead of me. Then when I got into bed...I noticed that there was a note under my pillow. I thought she had made me an equally sappy and loving note telling me of all my wonderfulness and greatness. Instead she just wrote..."Drug Free" I am so NOT feelin' the love!!!

A Little Going Away Present

I have left my elementary school and moved on to the middle and high school. It has been a difficult transition but, one that I am ready for. On my last day at the elementary school, I was anxious and sad about what the day would entail. How do I tell the kids good bye? How do I say good bye to my friends that work here? I couldn't possibly hug all these kids yet I wanted to. I was a hot buttered mess all day long. Lots of tears and I had one kid say to me..."What am I doing to do without you here, you make me so happy." This melted my heart.

It wasn't until a few days later (4 to be exact) that I received my going away present. I have worked there for 9 years and while I think a plant that I could have killed in two weeks would have been sufficient a card even...instead? I contracted ringworm. EWWWWWW!!!! I feel so hideous. Best part, is that it is on my neck and all the older kids are asking me if it is a hickey. I can hear it now..."Hey, did you meet that new counselor...the one with the hickey?" Ya, that's nice...thanks to the kid who gave me ring worm for helping make my transition so smooth.

Does Stuff Like This Happen To Everyone...or Just Me?

I went for a run tonight and I have not gone in a long time...10 days to be exact. I was feeling pretty good and thinking "wow, this isn't as bad as I thought it would be." I am listening to my ipod and trying to stay in step with the tunes...Black Eyed Peas, Taylor Swift, Guns n Roses. As I came around the corner there was a man cleaning out some sort of filter with a hose. As I am approaching he begins to act as though he is going to tackle me when I try to pass him. I think he is being funny and I joke back with him at which point I realize he has a hose in his hand. I ask him jokingly not to squirt me and his response is "If I did, would you spank me?" Now, my response would have been a resounding HECK YA, if he had six pack abs or looked remotely like David Beckham minus all the tattoos. Instead, he was about 75 years old and I didn't want to even see his abs and he looked nothing like David Beckham with or without the tattoos. So, I just said..."umm, no I would not spank you for any reason" and then ran really fast.

I Just Realized...

I was thinking yesterday about how I am starting a new job this week and kinda freakin out about it. I am ready for a change but, big kids scare me and I don't know what to do with them. The little one's...I can get down to their level and talk to them, I can give them a hug and make things all better, I can play a game with them or kick their ass at Wii. Now, I will never win at Wii again. This made me sad. I did have a moment of clarity and realized that since I will be between two schools throughout my week....I just doubled my wardrobe. SCORE!!! Now, no one will know if I already wore that hoodie on Tuesday and it is now Thursday. This made things a heck of a lot easier.

Need I Say More?

My mom has joined The Good Book...Facebook. I KNOW!!!! She has no idea what she is doing on there and clearly does not see the loveliness of it all but, she is trying to be one of "us". I will defriend her if she doesn't, at the very least, post a profile picture.

Change is in the air...

I swear, just when I think I have things figured out...I get a wrench thrown in my direction. I have applied, interviewed and accepted a position at the Jr. High and High School in my district. I am so excited but, fear that the change will be a lot for me right now. While I feel I am ready for this change, it is with great reservation that I leave my current school. I feel like a rock star when I walk through these halls. Kids are constantly hugging me, talking to me, excited to see me and I love that. I NEED that. I worry about the amount of attention that I need from people in general...at home, at work, on my blog in the form of comments which I love (wink wink). This thought has seeped into my home life. Do I expect too much? Are my expectations realistic of my kids? Of super hot hubby? Of me? I don't know....but, I do know it seems impossible to meet everyone's needs these days. I cannot possibly be the friend I need to be, the wife I need to be, the mom I need to be, the counselor I need to be and still live a somewhat normal life...something has got to give here people. Unfortunately, it has been my blog. From here on out I am going to say "screw the rest of the people" and focus on my blog. "I do solemnly swear, to give my blog the attention it so deserves." AMEN!!!!

Skype

I have been thinking about this post for quite some time...just trying to figure out how to get it just right so that you all can understand the things I have to endure when it comes to my mom. Her and I have found Skype the web cam type chat thingy? Ya, that one. She thought it would be great so that she can see the kids since she is far away and misses seeing their little faces. We have tried to Skype several times and quite frankly, I am done with it. It is so annoying to me. Out of a 45 minute conversation, we spend 35 trying to get it working so that she can see us and we can see her and hear her. It is ridiculous. The first 10 minutes of the conversation are as follows:

"Can you see me?"

"Yes, mom we can see you."

"Why can't I see you?"

"Umm, I don't know mom."

"What do I need to push to see you?"

This goes on for quite some time and as she is talking we are able to see her face feverishly looking for the correct button to click on so that she can see us. This always makes me laugh...she just searches and searches and the truth is she probably has it written down on some post it note that is right on her screen on her computer.

Once we get it up and running...we are able to chat back and forth. She will always ask if we want to see the dog..why? not sure but, she will hold the dog up for us to see and the girls like to talk to the dog. Who knew that Skype would be for talking to a dog? For some reason that she cannot figure out, her computer will freeze her face in some very precarious positions. She will be mid laugh and it will freeze for 20 or so seconds. We find great humor in this part.

Now, my super hot hubby just will Skype her and I will be in the background not paying a bit of attention. She will see me in the kitchen doing dishes and say.."Hey, why isn't she over here talking to me?" I try to hide behind the island in the kitchen but, super hot hubby will usually sell me out and say something like "I am not sure why she doesn't want to talk to you." He is just nice like that.