Only a few more years

Today's post has been bubbling around in my brain for a few weeks now.  Only I didn't realize it was a blog post.  I thought it was just something annoying me.  But I'll come out with it:  I can't wait to not have to deal with 75% of all moms out there.  Violet is in 8th grade, just a few more years of it.  At least I would assume.  Those of you with kids who've graduated high school can let me know if it doesn't end as early as I think it does.

Now I have some great mom friends.  Some in real life, some imaginary.  There are other moms who aren't really friends, but who I like and respect and would enjoying hanging out with if the circumstances of life, the universe and everything would only permit. 

Then there are the meanie moms.  And the annoyingly stupid moms.  And the ones who can't look up from their phone or iPad or whatever their device du jour is.  And the ones who are just "too busy" to be polite, do their share, stop talking about all their stress and everything they have to do.  I'm sick of all them.

One nearly ran Violet and me over in the art studio parking lot this morning.  She couldn't stop talking on her phone while trying to park to wait for her kid long enough to let us cross over to the entrance.  She saw us, then gunned it.  Nice.

I know I shouldn't judge anyone until I've walked a mile in their shoes, but really, I wonder what on earth some of these people have going on that they are so incredibly wrapped up in themselves that they can't stop whining and trying to make their problems my problems.  Trust me, I have my own problems.  I haven't been able to breath this past week, I've had so much to do. Still, I manage to smile, say hello, plan Juliettes and take care of previous commitments I've made.  I try to be friendly and not to complain too much, or at least spread my complaining out so no one gets it laid on them too thick.  Okay, I do need to work on that.

There's a new woman at work, I really like her.  She's about my age, maybe younger (or maybe I just look old these days).  We were talking about the meanie moms and why do they have to be so mean.  That was when I realized, just a few more years and I'll be done with it.  After 13 years of them trying to one up me, out "busy"me and generally act, well mean, I won't have to do it anymore.  It is one aspect of motherhood I won't miss at all.

Is that bad of me? 

Crash

Yep, today I crashed.  I couldn't get up this morning.  Work issues are weighing me down.  I have done so much the last couple of days, I was just pooped today.  I still got through a lot, but not as much.  I am ready for a nap.

I think I've overworked Violet too.  She was complaining of a stomach ache.  I had her try to do a math lesson, we use Teaching Textbooks.  Partway through the lecture I looked over her, her eyes were welled up with tears.  I told her to go ahead and stop.  She wasn't going to learn anything in that mental state (I was kind about it, that sentence has the potential to have been said snottily - I assure you I didn't say it that way.)  I suggested she read another chapter in her book, then we start a new jigsaw puzzle.  The only other schoolish thing we did was read a chapter in The Enchanted Castle, our current read aloud.

There isn't much on the list for tomorrow.  We'll try to hit the school books again.  And she has tennis.  Provided she feels good in the morning.  I find that the "off" feeling sometimes is a precurser to being sick.  We'll see what morning brings.

On a Roll

Wow, I cannot believe how much I've been accomplishing the last couple of days!  I'm probably going to crash soon or hit something I can get past.  But for now, stand back.

Saturday after art/Starbucks, we went home, had lunch, went to the library, went to Walgreens, then came back home.  At the library I turned in my first book finished for the winter reading program (You Learn by Living by Eleanore Roosevelt), got my raffle ticket for it, checked out some Bill Nye the Science Guy DVDs for science, and got some jigsaw puzzles from the puzzle exchange.  Our library does this twice a year.  You take in your old puzzles, get a ticket per puzzle you bring in. Then after they have them all, you go back with your tickets and get new puzzles.  The puzzle exchange started at 9 am that morning, we got there at 2 pm, and the librarian said that over 200 puzzles had already gone out.  We had no problem finding 5 puzzles for our 5 tickets.  Back at home Violet and I worked our first jigsaw puzzle. 

I've also (mostly) caught up with my Abigail Adams Academy class, (mostly) caught up at work, (mostly) cleaned the house, (mostly) prepped for Juliettes and (mostly) caught up with personal correspondence and bill paying.  I'll never be completely caught up because something else always comes up right away.  What I'm not caught up with is reading all of your blogs.  If it happened after January 4th, I don't know about it yet. 

We are also making nice progress with school.  Of course, I shouldn't say that because I'll jinx it.

We got the errands done because the temperatures dropped and if I don't have to go out, I'd love it!  The highest I've seen it today was 4 degrees.  That's staying in weather!

Tired

I was actually going to write this post last night, but I was too tired to write about being tired!

I went to the office yesterday.  It was the first time I'd been there since August.  Not a bad schedule.  We had a woman in for an interview or possible networking or some sort of relationship, not sure what they'll work out.  But I wanted to meet her because I will likely end up working with her.  As my fellow manager said, "it is like she's one of us already."  We like her. It was worth the trip in.

Tennis went fine on Wednesday.  Violet was pretty nervous about it, she always is when starting something new.  She thinks this will likely be her last session.  Either way is fine with me.  It is close by our house, I can sit and knit during it, but I'd be happy to stay home and not pay for the classes as well.  Thursday's girl's club (aka Cadettes) got cancelled.  The daughter of the mom who leads it was sick.  We were glad not to be exposed to germs.  We are trying to avoid sickness, but didn't get flu shots.  Let's just say the decision not to get the flu shot didn't sit well with my mom.  If we get sick and die from the flu, she'll kill me.

The week coming up is very light.  Just tennis, maybe girl's club, and art on Saturday.  Violet is at art now.  She isn't sure if she's sticking with that either.  I'm going to encourage her to keep that up a little longer.  But not if she really decides she's done.

I picked up the cookie order form from the office yesterday.  Cookie sales are way down this year.  Usually she sells in the 120-150 box range.  This year it looks like it will be 80-90 boxes.  But for a girl who didn't really want to sell, that's fine.  Fewer cookies to bring home, sort, deliver and collect for.  Four more years after this one.  Then I'm never eating another Girl Scout cookie again.

We are one of the few councils debuting the "snack bars" this year.  Or as Violet and I call them, the "rip off bars."  They are $5 for 5 bars.  Way too expensive.  None of her customers have ordered them.  We were going to try to talk them out of it if they did.  I don't know if the Girl Scouts are trying to claim they are a healthier alternative.  They aren't.  I hope sales of them completely stink.  They took out 2 of our cookie varieties to have them on the form.  We aren't pleased.  But not a lot of decisions Girl Scouts make lately really please us.  Such a disappointment for a girl who so loved the program a couple of years ago. 

The rest of the weekend will include a trip to the library, buying a gallon of milk, working, a little school work, and trying to stay warm as the temperature plummets tonight and tomorrow.  Have a good weekend!

Updates

This morning we took Bubbles in to get her stitches out.  We were worried she'd be off hiding and we'd never find her at appointment time, so Violet found her and played with her for almost an hour before we went.  We were there and back in under 20 minutes.  I don't know how they take the stitches out, but it was quick.  Violet and I hung out in the lobby and talked to the kitten who was up for adoption. 

We started second semester today.  Violet did a math lesson, and after about a 4 week break from it, was rusty.  We also chose our next read aloud, The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit.  We are looking forward to starting it.  We also did a spelling lesson, and she did great.  We are using Spelling Power this year.  We are as happy with it as anything we've used.  Spelling just isn't a favorite.

Tomorrow is the first tennis lesson of the new session.  We're not sure if any of the girls she knows will be in it.  But Violet is more interested in tennis than having friends in class or not.  Friends are great for hanging with and socializing, but when she takes a class she's more interested in the class.  At least with tennis, there's no time to joke, they are playing and learning the game.  Now art class, they sit and talk while drawing and creating.  They comment on each others' art work, chit chat about things, and generally have a good time.  Or so I've been told.  I'm at Starbucks during class having "me" time.

The sidewalks and parking lots are still icy.  I'm glad I got those boots at the thrift store, they have good grip.  Next week we are supposed to have some subzero temperatures, but this week is supposed to stay nice.

Juliettes

We had a Juliette meeting today.  Well, technically, we had a gathering of a group of homeschooled friends who all happen to be Juliettes and who like to work on badges together once in a while.  No need getting anyone's sash in a bunch and thinking we should become a troop. 

Anyway, we made choco-coconut sandwich cookies (from Rachel Ray's magazine) and called those a quick and easy snack (and they were), and we made applesauce brownie cake and called that a lower-sugar alternative dessert.  Both were good.  It was the view of the majority that the brownie cake needed something.  Ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, chocolate drizzle, something.  Then it was decided that it needed all of the above!  These girls like their desserts.  This finished up the Eating for Beauty badge for the Cadettes.  The Juniors were counting the cooking towards the old Let's Get Cooking badge.

We also made posters, Toulouse-Lautrec style.  We looked at some of his artwork, then I made the sky the limit on what they wanted to make on their poster.  Three of the five ended up being Girl Scout cookie posters.  Not even one of the things I suggested.  The other two were silly "save the" posters (Violet's was about evil mice, and Butterfly's was to support stick people).  Hmm, the Juniors were the ones wanting to sell cookies with their posters.  The Cadettes were just silly.  I think there may be something to that.

At our next meeting in 2 weeks we are going to celebrate Chinese New Year. 

Ice Storm

Last night we were hit with freezing rain and snow.  Made for terrible driving.  I had been supposed to go out to dinner with some friends, but had begged off.  There were a million reasons, mainly, I just didn't feel emotionally up to it.  Anyway, I was so glad I did because I would have been out there in all that ice, for no good reason. 

Today Violet took her cookie form to the two neighbors who always order from her.  One placed their order.  The other didn't answer the door although we know there was someone home.  It could be like us, we often don't answer.  We get so many solicitors, even with the big "NO SOLICITING" sign on the door and we often don't feel like it.  So we left a note in their door.  They'll either call with an order or not.  She's really not enthusiastic about sales this year, that it is fine either way.  They've ordered from her for the last 7 years so we did want to give them a chance.  The mom works at the elementary school and has liked to be able to tell all the hordes of little girls who ask her there that she always orders from her neighbor, Violet.

We also got through the last of our first semester work.  Tomorrow we have a Juliette meeting here, then Tuesday we'll get started on Spring semester.  I guess I had better get a plan a bit more firmed up. 

I don't know how I can be so busy all the time.  I am constantly putting out fires and moving on to the next one.  It doesn't help that I'm still insisting on getting a lot of reading time in.  But I think I really need that quiet reflection time.  A crazed mama is not a pretty thing!

Braces!

On Tuesday, Violet got her phase 2 braces on.  She's still not chewing and biting into foods completely.  I think she is growing quite tired of mashed potatoes, Jell-O and pudding.  She's started with pasta and some other softer things now too.  But there were a couple of days with lots of Advil and lots of non-chewing needed foods!  The estimate is that they will be on 12-18 months.  She's determined to make it closer to 12 months, so she is doing everything in her power to do so.  No chewy candy, no popcorn, no soda (it leaves white spots on the teeth per the orthodontist).  Brushing and flossing all the time.  The orthodontist said that most phase two-ers like to just get it done and put up with a little more pain.  Violet says she agrees.  On and off.  That's her hope.

Since she isn't drinking soda, I figured it was the perfect time for me to cut back too.  Really there's no nutritional value in the stuff, so why drink it?  And maybe I can drop those extra few pounds I'd like to take off.

Next week Bubbles gets her stitches out.  My mom had a crown fall off and had to have an emergency dental visit.  A family friend fell and broke his wrist during the exercise class he was taking with my dad, my dad insisted he "get in the truck, I'm taking you to the emergency room."  So between all that, we've been surrounded by pain.  "My surgical scar hurts." "My teeth hurt."  "My wrist hurts."  "My broken tooth hurts."  Put this one down in the records as another difficult winter.

Currently Violet is in art class.  When I pick her up we're going out to lunch, then to a Girl Scout exhibit in a historical museum a few towns over.  We haven't been to this one yet.  We've been enjoying all the 100th anniversary exhibits we've gone too.  I'm not looking forward to driving there.  It is in a downtown of a fairly big city.  I hope the parking is easy to find.  I stress more about where to park than anything else.

I finished reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.  I really enjoyed it.  I've started You Learn By Living by Eleanor Roosevelt.  I'm enjoying it.  It is her response to the many people who asked her for advice for living.  It is interesting reading about her own insecurities and fears.  I tend to think of her later in her life and career as the confident, successful woman and first lady.  I need to read a biography of her next.

So, I'm not doing as good as I should with my blogging.  It was crazy how busy this past week was.  I hope things quiet down soon.  Bwahahah.  What am I thinking?  It won't slow down.

Cookie Sales Starts

It is the start of the Girl Scout cookie sale here.  Violet's form is posted in the kitchen at my office.  So far it looks like she may be the only cookie seller there.  In the past there have been more girls selling.  Forms could still pop up later this week, so we won't count our cookies until they've been ordered.  She has 2 neighbors who always order from her.  Other than a few cookies for us, I don't think she's doing much selling this year.  The incentives don't excite her.  The Juliette proceeds have been cut in about half as previous years.  And she's getting older and the thrill is gone.  Hopefully my office will mainly order cookies to be donated to the soldiers.  Those I can do without ever having the boxes arrive.

Violet is back at art class, her favorite activity.  She had last week off for the holidays.  They always have "art challenges" to draw and bring in if they want.  She was working on her drawing yesterday.  Something with a giant evil chicken fighting an army of mice.  They do a lot of fantasy drawing in her class.  Her art instructor is a children's book illustrator and his art work runs to fantasy/sci fi as well.  It is a great class for her.

We're taking a week off before starting Juliettes up again.  I've been finding some activities to do.  On our first meeting we're going to make applesauce brownie cake (a recipe with lower sugar) and choco-coconut cookie sandwiches (a quick snack).  That will complete the Eating for Beauty badge for the Cadettes (technically the badge didn't say to make the items, we just like to cook).  The Juniors have already finished the Looking My Best badge.  The next meeting will be Chinese New Year, then a Valentine meeting.  Since we're doing cooking and art badges this year, it is easy to fit in some badge work with the holidays.

Tennis doesn't start until mid-January.  Which is good.  We need to ease into things.  I made the list of things to finish for "first semester" and it wasn't too bad.  We've started to work on that and will finish next week.

Bubbles is home

I picked up Bubbles this morning and brought her home.  She has 3 days of pain meds.  It is one tiny tablet for each night, which she just gobbled up.  (Reading back through it, she just gobbled up tonight's tablet, not all three.)  I was surprised at how much fur was shaved off.  We are supposed to keep her calm and not jumping or playing too much.  I thought she'd be quiet and tired, but she certainly wasn't this afternoon.  Tonight, since Mr. Incredible has gotten home, she's been little miss sleepyhead in his lap.  So, of course, he doesn't believe that she was nutty earlier.  Hopefully she will stay calm, so she doesn't pull her stitches.

Violet did her volunteer work today.  At the first program they had quite a few kids.  She helped with a craft project.  The second program was for older kids (the same age group as the Volunteens), and the only ones signed up for it didn't come.  So it was just the 5 Volunteens who were there.  Violet said they just did all the activities themselves and had a good time.  I think that was probably good for her to have the time with her fellow volunteers. 

Tomorrow we have no outside activities!  Yay!  Tomorrow is my mom's follow up appointment with the surgeon.  She's feeling really good, well tons better.  So we expect the appointment will go well.

Tonight I'm beat.  I had to make 4 trips to and from the library today!  I think that explains my headache.  Good night.

Second Semester

I think rather than starting up with homeschool next week, we'll actually wait a week.  We'll spend time between now and then trying to finish up the first semester things we didn't quite finish.  We're almost done with a history unit, a science unit, a book we're reading.  I need to make a list of the few open items and just clear those off the list. 

Today Bubbles went in early for her spaying.  She comes home tomorrow.  The vet called after the surgery and said it went very well and that she was doing fine.  Tomorrow Violet has 2 separate programs at the library that she's volunteering at.  Saturday is art class.  She still has some art projects to work on, thank you's to write, and a Christmas gift to finish sewing (yipes, well we haven't seen that grandparent yet).  So this week wasn't good for starting anything new.  And next Tuesday she gets her braces on.  Yep, I think the 14th and a new semester is in order. 

I don't think I told you, but my mom's surgery didn't go as smoothly as hoped.  It was supposed to be outpatient, home by 5:30.  Well, she was in the hospital 3 days, and probably should have stayed longer (she says she was really cranky with the nurses and the doctor finally said he thought she'd be more comfortable at home).  She's finally getting back up on her feet.  But that made for a few stressful weeks.  My dad handled all her home care and did a great job, so Violet and I stayed out of the way (and my mom really didn't want Violet seeing her laid up and in pain).  But there were lots of phone calls and remote helping going on. 

So since we'd just gone through that with my mom and knew the hospital surgery routine, Violet and I were joking with the surgical assistant at the vet's this morning that Bubbles would need drawstring sweatpants for after the surgery.  And the assistant added she'd need a pair of compression socks, too (guess she knows about the surgery thing, too). 

Well, I know my long time blogging buddies have heard this before, but I am resolving this New Year to blog more.  I love blogging and I really fell off it this fall.  It has been a difficult few months around here and I just didn't have the mindset.  But since I love to write so much, I'm going to try very hard to get my butt in my chair and write.  At least a little.  A few times a week.  It is good for me and helps clear my head.

Feel free to call me on it if I slip.