Where did the time go?

Apparently, I have missed out on blogging (not like I’ve got a million followers) in the past 30 days or more.

Life is crazy with three kids, one husband working full-time and going to college, plus my working part-time. I love what I do (teach preschool).

Oldest monkey is taking some martial arts, middle monkey is taking dance lessons and littlest monkey is taking Choi Kwang Do lessons.

I think I kind of blanked out the end of September because it was the 2nd year annivesary of my Dad passing away from Pancreatic Cancer. I just didn’t want to think of the day…I tried to block out the week in my mind. It was a horrible experience for everyone involved. I miss him dearly. I want to hear his voice & hug his neck.

It’s September already?

Holy cow! Who in the world said it could be September already?

Coming up this month in activities:

Choi Kwang Do, Ballet/Tap Lessons, choir group & depending on my oldest monkeypants’ grades, basketball. Mr. Hubby is studying for finals this week and I am in need of some time to myself.

A trip to Starbucks might help.

School Supplies: The variety and the madness

Monday morning, all three of my monkeys will be going to school. I may have to cry a tear of joy…or two. However, this year in the pursuit of school happiness, I have been to two different Wal-Marts (Wally World in our house), 1 Target, 1 Walgreens and 1 Staples. We had 2 different school supply lists that were not obtained until mid to late July and the hunt began. Even after checking off each list, I went back through a 2nd time to make sure we had it all.

Today, Monkey 1 & Monkey 2 spent time with me dividing up once again, the school supply list & bagging it all up. One list had “Please write your child’s name on everything”. The other list had “Please do not label your child’s school supplies.” (Insert rolling eyes here. Go figure.)

I had a friend that used to complain about having to provide so much for her child each year. She would never buy more than what was on that list. Being a preschool teacher myself, I ALWAYS do my best to put in a few extra packs of paper, pencils, tissues or whatever I can afford (I’m a bargain hunter, I find the great deals!). It bothers me that a teacher would have to pay out of pocket for supplies, especially since I know I have to do it myself. I do it out of love for my job and don’t expect a reimbursement (unless bigger purchase approved by director). I don’t like “cheap” people, people that will nickle and dime EVERYTHING to death. There’s got to be a charitible heart when it comes to kids. If another parent can’t afford or is too cheap to buy extra supplies, I feel it’s my duty as a human being and a parent to give a little bit extra to help.

So on Monday morning, if you hear fireworks going off on my street or see a line of parents at the local coffee shop…you’ll know exactly why.

School can’t start yet?

WTH? School is just around the corner for my kids. I’m not ready for it to start for them.

Meh.

RIP Michael Jackson

Where do I start? When I was around 10-11 years old, I heard a song on the radio and learned it was from a child star named Michael Jackson from “The Jackson 5″. It was Rock with You and also Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough. Little did I know that the song would be the beginning of a very long musical relationship with an entertainer that was a man of many different talents. I remember the album (for the youngins’  that means a LP or a record playing at the 33 1/2 speed or a cassette tape- of which I had both).  Pretty Young Thing was another one I loved…and then heck the ENTIRE album.I was a dancing fool growing up. I’d put on shows & make my parents watch. LOL!

I loved his music and his dance moves. He also seemed like a man with a tender heart that had been abused as a child by his father. He sought shelter from his childhood trauma by living in a fantasy like world. Kind of like he was telling his father to kiss his moonwalking feet by living the childhood he wanted, as an adult.

In high school, I joined the flag corp./dance squad. For the basket ball season, we performed Thriller on the court at half time. I loved it. I had his “Bad” album and then the Leave Me Alone album (name escapes me now…sorry!)

My mother, in her older age, is pretty pissy in her opinion of MJ. Asking questions like “Well why are his kids WHITE? He has WHITE kids!” I think the entire song “Black & White” sums it up for him in that regard: “It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white” (or any other color for that matter). Michael wanted to make things right, IMO, by having children. He didn’t want them to go through what he did. I pray that the children are handed over to one of the brothers’ & their family to be raised by the Jacksons. Mrs. Jackson (Mama) is too old to raise those children on her own, IMO.

Thank you Jackson Familiy for sharing such a talent, thank you MJ for everything AND thank you God for sending us a wonderful talent like MJ. May you rest in peace MJ.

Love,

Me

They way I knew & loved him.

A great trip and record time

We made it up to Nana & Papaw’s in 13 hours. It was a bittersweet and relaxing trip. The kids saw their fill of horses, cows, pigs, a few goats and a couple of bunnies. They went to a local park almost several times a day and even went to see Ice Age 3!

Driving back went fantastic! I made it in 11 hours. I was “keeping up with the flow of traffic”. When my husband asked me what speed the flow was…well, let’s just say I was in a few “packs” that kept moving and left the slow pokes behind.

Cute!

Driving with kids

Wow, nothing in life prepares you fully for driving, alone, with children. Don’t get me wrong, I love my children to my very core of my being. However, at different phases in my children’s lives, we’ve taken small vacations or trips to visit with family. The recent trip was 13 hours long. 13 very long hours that the kids did average to good until the last 2 hours. Then it was every 10 minutes until “when are we going to get there?, “when are we getting to Nanaland?” , “how much longer?” over and over.

Dear Lord help me.

On top of that trip, they’re not used to the time it takes to get around out here in the country compared to home. Yes, it takes longer in time and distance. Time because of the lower speed limits and Amish buggies. Distance because my mom’s home town doesn’t have much of anything. Ok, there’s a high-class McD’s, Pizza Hut, Arby’s, TacoBell, KFC, Burger King and a in the grocery store, Starbucks. WOO-HOO! Food is covered, but if the local Alco, Dollar General or CVS doesn’t have it, there’s a good chance you’re driving 15-20 miles to the nearest Target or (gasp) Wally World (Wal-Mart).

We’ll be leaving in a few days with my oldest son staying behind to hang out with his Nana, Papaw and Aunt & Uncle. I hope he has fun and I pray our trip will be safe…and quick. Please Lord, let these children sleep some of the trip.

Dear Lawmakers & Drug users,

I am a pretty honest, law-abiding citizen. I mean a little “white lie” of “Sure that looks great on you” might slip once in a while or “Santa IS WATCHING YOU so you’d better behave!” comes out closer to Christmas.  Geez louise, WHY do we have to have such a tight restriction on the purchase of decongestants for ADULTS?

Seriously, Claritin-D has been a marriage saver or at least has kept me out of jail from spousal abuse. My husband has horrible allergies-seasonal, animal, dust, children, etc. He would snore so much at night & make such freaky sounds to “clear his sinuses” that I wanted to hurt him! We tried all sorts of OTC allergy medicine. Name brand, generic, and then finally I thought we hadn’t tried Claritin-D yet. Praise God & Claritin-D it works! WE both sleep so much better because of it.

HOWEVER, thanks to a law that restricts the amount of decongestant medication you can purchase, I am unable to buy more than  15 caplets every 2 1/2 weeks or some ridiculous thing like that. Mr. Hubby works full-time and I am out for the summer. I do the majority of the grocery shopping and odds & ends errands. That also includes Mr. Hubby’s medication when needed.

Today at the pharmacy, I was DENIED being able to purchase it. I was pretty ticked, it was already 90 degree F. outside, I had my hair pulled  up & am sure I didn’t look like your preschool teacher/church going/wife/mother of 3/lady. I looked upset & sweaty. LOL. I told that poor pharm. tech/intern, “I KNOW you didn’t make the laws, but I hate that I am being treated like a criminal (having to give my Driver’s License) to purchase a needed allergy medication for my husband. Hold on to that box, he’ll be in here in just about 2 minutes.”

Pharm. Tech’s face: : O  “uh, sorry.”

I asked for my driver’s license & walked out of the store. Mr. Hubby & I exchanged places in the vehicle w/ the kids and he went into the store to purchase said LEGAL medication.

Thppppppppt to the Gov’t. for making the stupid law.

Thppppppppt to the media for telling the entire frakkin’ planet about this- I had NO idea that people were so sneaky & what they were using in MASS quantities to make illegal drugs.

and Thppppppt to the stupid-ass drug users who have completely frakked it all up for those of us who just want to be able to breathe and sleep a normal life.

Who you gonna call?

Ghostbusters!

Yesterday, the release of the video game, Ghostbusters hit the stores. I bought a copy so Mr. Monkey Pants (my oldest son) & I could play together. This game is fun! The only negative side, I can find yet is that we can’t play together, we have to take turns. Not so fun when one of us is just dying to play an area. XBox 360 makes it even more fun on an HDTV too. I just hope we can remember to eat at some point because we’re enjoying this just a little too much.

“I ain’t afraid of no ghosts”

Who ya gonna call?

Vee-bee-Ess – Proof that God exists

This summer is the very first summer in my motherhood that I am able to be completely CHILD-FREE  for more than ONE day & a few hours. SERIOUSLY Folks!

I had volunteered. But one of my favorite Aunts had a major heart attack. I had planned already on going up to visit my mom.But the heart attack canceled out our trip up to Nana’s house because Nana is my Aunt’s younger sister. I knew that my mom (aka Nana) would want to be with her sister & family as much as possible without having to worry about us. Soooooo…. I said you know what? I have volunteered for over SEVEN years, faithfully. I was gone one out of 8 years because we were on vacation with my step-daughter.

I had a talk with God, forgave myself and decided to enjoy ALL THREE of my children attending VBS for 3 hours each day for 5 days straight. Thank GOD for VBS, Cathy Anderson (our Children’s Pastor) and my church.

I’ll update with “what I did” at the end of the week! Yippie!!!

P.S. Vee-bee-Ess term should be credited to my friend Gretchen.

<——See the blog – Adventures with Gretchen on the side bar <——