Today was a BUSY day. It was the first day back at school WITH the kids. So to give you an idea of what a normal day is like...I get up and get myself, a 12 year old , and a 4 year old ready. My dear husband sleeps. I pack up the homework sheet and pages I need for school, lunches, breakfasts, snacks, and my 8 year old neice and head to school. I stop by the preschool (right next to my school) to drop my Kacy off and realize , hey- she has no coat. Great. So I go in, explain that I am a terrible mom and please do not let her go to recess (not likely anyway as it is predicted to rain all day), set her up with her breakfast, and run back out.
I zip to my school, run in and clock in, give my neice and daughter money for breakfast, and try to get everything ready for the day. I end up leaving to drive them both to (different) school(s) since it is raining (usually they would walk). I end up having to drive around 2 times because the first time I passed my neice's school.
Back at school- typical crazy day. They need papers in the office, meetings, 24 seven year old girlies talking constantly. Bus time- its raining, one child has to ride a new bus- of course its the last one out of about 40 in a line. Of COURSE about halfway down there she decides SHE knows which one to ride and wanders off. I freak out. Don't worry, I DID find her, and get her on the bus. In the nick of time- I mean they had to hold the buses. I DID almost have a heart attack though.
Then, I walk over, get Kacy and head back to my school where she procedes to tell everyone about the picture we have ...of Santa's Bootie. Yes, you read that right. But let me explain- I went to
http://www.capturethemagic.com/ and did these.
Yes that is my messy house. But how cool! They are great right? Why does she have to focus on THAT one? No clue. Anyway, she is fascinated by them!! So we are the talk of the town (READ:school) for about an hour.
Then Caiti and her friend show up and we have our Girl Scout meeting. Yup, I'm a new leader- and yes, that is my whole troop. It is hard to get 7th graders who aren't embarrassed by Girl Scouts, so I'll take what I can get. Anyway, we chat for awhile, discuss cookie sales (want some? email me at
everafterkidz@gmail.com) then end the meeting and head...no, not home, what are you crazy?...to get Caiti's glasses about an hour away. We took her friend too. Why not? What's one more kid anyway?
We get the glasses- don't even ask about that experience of 2 preteens and a 4 year old running around the glasses place- and on the way home I decide I am WAY too tired to cook. I also do NOT want any fast food- so I decide to take the kids to a "REAL" restaurant. My hubby elects not to join me. He is blessed with astounding intelligence sometimes!!!
In my head I label this as a learning experience where the 2 older gals can learn how to act in public and the 4 year old can...well...torture me.
It was quite fun- the servers were especially excited when they saw Kacy come in (read sarcasm here). But seriously, the older kids were quite impressed and can't wait to go back. Which they never will...with me anyway!!
Really, it really made me think about what we expose our kids to. I mean
my kids had never ever seen a place like this. And we all think- why waste the money? But really, the more experiences our kids have the better. Physically- it helps create brain patterns and will make them smarter - and psychologically- we want them to know they are worth nice things right?
They sat up straighter and we really all had a chance to talk to each other and discuss "our" (by this I mean the 2 older girls) lives. Not only do I think it was great for my kids, but Caiti's friend lives with her grandparents and her grandfather is in Iraq. So I think it was an amazing experience for her to have a little boost! She was so sweet and excited! None of us (including me) ate all our food. But Caiti's friend ate every bit. And I'm talking salad, bread, baked potato, and a 14 oz (yup) steak. Did she appreciate it? I would say so. I was really touched by how surprised she was that I let her go and order actual food (she offered to just get a salad). I would do it again in a minute. I might leave Little Bit at home though....especially after she hooked her 3 glow stick bracelets around the expensive stained glass light and dumped a pile of salt on it.
A perfect ending to the perfect day in my perfect little world.
