There is a new reality show on called Last Blogger Standing. WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?!?!?!
I win!!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Slug Bug
For those of you who don't know or have been in a bubble, there is a car game called "slug bug". Basically what you do is look for Volkswagen Beetles and call them and then you get to hit your friends in the car with you. Since we thought that was just asking for someone to get beaten on all the time , we have changed the rules up a bit. Rules, you ask? Oh, yes there are actual rules for this game. Check out the website http://www.geocities.com/jaredperi/beetle/buggy.html.
Anyway, we don't allow hitting of any kind. We are on the point system and the one with the most points when the car reaches a destination, wins. Actually, my husband and son made up this point system.
1. A new model: one point
2. A convertible new model: two points
3. An old model: three points
4. A broken down slug bug (any model): 4 points
5. An old model convertible: 5 points
6. A bug with a logo of any kind or crazy decorations (mouse ears, pizza sign, etc.) wins the game automatically
We work on the honor system. You only have to prove a logo bug. If you call a non-bug, you lose a point. And, yes, you can be negative.
This game works great on long trips and works well in teams. Little guys get some leeway, because there are other cars that mimic a slug bug front, etc. There have been disputes and Clark says he is the Commissioner and all disputes need to go through him. We don't think so.
We had a lot of fun when we went to San Antonio on Friday with Clark.
Looking at that statement made me realize that I am a great big liar!! We tried to have a lot of fun. There, that's better. We decided at the last minute to head with Clark when he went for an interview. We were going to spend the night in the hotel and head back on Saturday morning. It seemed like a fantastic idea at the time. Someone should have hit me over the head to wake me up. Here's a recipe for stress:
Three kids who had just spent all day at school.
One Dad who had spent all day trying to get things set up for the baseball game Saturday.
One Mom who had been on her feet for three and a half hours dealing with 700-800 kids in a lunchroom and then come home to help the other crankies pack.
Please stir up and stick in an enclosed space for 5 hours. Add no DVD players that work and only one radio. To add spice, throw in bathroom breaks at different times and a Mom who gets carsick. Store in the oldest La Quinta in the world. The next day, start with a Dad who has to get to an interview bright and early and add kids who realize that there was NO pool. Shake up some more and stick back in an enclosed space that has gotten smaller somehow and drive for another 5 hours to get back to a baseball game. Please run me over now!!
There were some fun parts:
Clark had Alex pack himself. Guess how that went!! Alex had one shirt, his swim trunks, two snuggle friends and ALL of his Star Wars toys.
Lauren packed VERY well and remembered underwear. She just brought about 10 snuggle friends and then wanted to bring her body pillow, boppy, car pillow and two blankets.
Aaron was very close as well, just forgot the baseball pants he was supposed to change into for his game.
Clark just brought his suit and the clothes on his back.
We made a pit stop at the cricket capital of Texas on the way. Clark chose to park under a lamp post, which basically said "Let's do a remake of "The Birds" but with crickets"!!! AAARGH!
It was just too much to ask. We went to bed and tried to start over. This morning I woke up with a little guy on either side of me snuggling hard. Both Lauren and Alex have had a nap and we are going to go to bed early tonight as well.
This just lets me know how far from making a car trip to Disney we are. We are going to practice between now and next summer.
XXOO
Anyway, we don't allow hitting of any kind. We are on the point system and the one with the most points when the car reaches a destination, wins. Actually, my husband and son made up this point system.
1. A new model: one point
2. A convertible new model: two points
3. An old model: three points
4. A broken down slug bug (any model): 4 points
5. An old model convertible: 5 points
6. A bug with a logo of any kind or crazy decorations (mouse ears, pizza sign, etc.) wins the game automatically
We work on the honor system. You only have to prove a logo bug. If you call a non-bug, you lose a point. And, yes, you can be negative.
This game works great on long trips and works well in teams. Little guys get some leeway, because there are other cars that mimic a slug bug front, etc. There have been disputes and Clark says he is the Commissioner and all disputes need to go through him. We don't think so.
We had a lot of fun when we went to San Antonio on Friday with Clark.
Looking at that statement made me realize that I am a great big liar!! We tried to have a lot of fun. There, that's better. We decided at the last minute to head with Clark when he went for an interview. We were going to spend the night in the hotel and head back on Saturday morning. It seemed like a fantastic idea at the time. Someone should have hit me over the head to wake me up. Here's a recipe for stress:
Three kids who had just spent all day at school.
One Dad who had spent all day trying to get things set up for the baseball game Saturday.
One Mom who had been on her feet for three and a half hours dealing with 700-800 kids in a lunchroom and then come home to help the other crankies pack.
Please stir up and stick in an enclosed space for 5 hours. Add no DVD players that work and only one radio. To add spice, throw in bathroom breaks at different times and a Mom who gets carsick. Store in the oldest La Quinta in the world. The next day, start with a Dad who has to get to an interview bright and early and add kids who realize that there was NO pool. Shake up some more and stick back in an enclosed space that has gotten smaller somehow and drive for another 5 hours to get back to a baseball game. Please run me over now!!
There were some fun parts:
Clark had Alex pack himself. Guess how that went!! Alex had one shirt, his swim trunks, two snuggle friends and ALL of his Star Wars toys.
Lauren packed VERY well and remembered underwear. She just brought about 10 snuggle friends and then wanted to bring her body pillow, boppy, car pillow and two blankets.
Aaron was very close as well, just forgot the baseball pants he was supposed to change into for his game.
Clark just brought his suit and the clothes on his back.
We made a pit stop at the cricket capital of Texas on the way. Clark chose to park under a lamp post, which basically said "Let's do a remake of "The Birds" but with crickets"!!! AAARGH!
It was just too much to ask. We went to bed and tried to start over. This morning I woke up with a little guy on either side of me snuggling hard. Both Lauren and Alex have had a nap and we are going to go to bed early tonight as well.
This just lets me know how far from making a car trip to Disney we are. We are going to practice between now and next summer.
XXOO
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Bad Mommy book
Yesterday the weather was so nice that the kids were out on the fort from about 3:00 until 5:30. They then wanted to go out front and play. We had a long talk about the fact that it was dinner time. They were bound and determined to go and play. I explained that if they went outside, they would not get dinner. They were choosing playing over dinner. We had a lengthy conversation (argument) about it. They ultimately went outside. I am not thinking that they will make that choice again. Alex got toast and Lauren got nothing. I know that this upsets my mother and my sister, but I am not a restaurant. It was time to eat and they already had played outside. It WAS beautiful, but come on! They had eggs and toast this morning and Lauren had two extra toaster scrambles. How much do you want to bet that they eat tonight?
It won't be the only mark in my bad mommy book, I am sure.
It won't be the only mark in my bad mommy book, I am sure.
Morning Madness
Here is our morning routine during the week:
Up anywhere between 6am and 6:45 am. It all depends on which child you are. Aaron is up as soon as his alarm goes off. He has put it across the room so he HAS to get up to get to it and (as Clark says) "beat it into submission" to get it to turn off. Alex varies on some yet to be determined factor on how soon and what mood he wakes up in. We are still trying to figure him out. He is usually WAY too upbeat and talkative for Lauren and I in the mornings. There are times that I have to say to him " Please let my ears wake up before you talk to me." Lauren is usually the last and slowest to get up. She is always in a bad mood until she gets to school and then the pod people take over and she becomes someone else entirely.
The kids get dressed completely and then eat breakfast. That is usually the "carrot" for them. "If you don't hurry, you won't get breakfast and we are having..." No, Mom, They don't really go without breakfast. There are times that Lauren gets toast and cheese in the car because she has taken so long, though! ( I blame her on my sister)
If they are done in time, they can watch TV until about 7:30 and then backpacks and car. So far, Alex is really the only one who has gotten TV on a regular basis.
Then, off to school and I start.
I get ready after they leave and do all the other things that need to be done before I go to work. Dishes, shopping, laundry, blogging..., you know, the important stuff! Then I am off to work at 10:00 until 1:45.
Clark has really been helping out around the house since I started working. He has also been doing carpool so I don't have to rush after work. Its great!
Sounds like fun, huh?
Up anywhere between 6am and 6:45 am. It all depends on which child you are. Aaron is up as soon as his alarm goes off. He has put it across the room so he HAS to get up to get to it and (as Clark says) "beat it into submission" to get it to turn off. Alex varies on some yet to be determined factor on how soon and what mood he wakes up in. We are still trying to figure him out. He is usually WAY too upbeat and talkative for Lauren and I in the mornings. There are times that I have to say to him " Please let my ears wake up before you talk to me." Lauren is usually the last and slowest to get up. She is always in a bad mood until she gets to school and then the pod people take over and she becomes someone else entirely.
The kids get dressed completely and then eat breakfast. That is usually the "carrot" for them. "If you don't hurry, you won't get breakfast and we are having..." No, Mom, They don't really go without breakfast. There are times that Lauren gets toast and cheese in the car because she has taken so long, though! ( I blame her on my sister)
If they are done in time, they can watch TV until about 7:30 and then backpacks and car. So far, Alex is really the only one who has gotten TV on a regular basis.
Then, off to school and I start.
I get ready after they leave and do all the other things that need to be done before I go to work. Dishes, shopping, laundry, blogging..., you know, the important stuff! Then I am off to work at 10:00 until 1:45.
Clark has really been helping out around the house since I started working. He has also been doing carpool so I don't have to rush after work. Its great!
Sounds like fun, huh?
Friday, September 12, 2008
Hurray!
Well, I have not been on in a while and I have a lot to tell you.
1. I am now employed. No, it is not a huge deal, but it is some money coming in. I work at the kids' school in the lunchroom as a monitor. What that means is a lot of opening packets, getting napkins, answering questions, and saying things like, " I am so sad that the red light is on. Now you have to be silent." They are winning, but I am fighting back!! I am currently by myself, but I am told that there will be another monitor soon. Teachers and staff are trying to be in there to help, but they have real jobs as well. The school has scheduled the older kids first and the kindergartners at the end when they are fresh and I am not! They are so cute, though. So many of them have been taught to clear their place when they are done and in the cafeteria, they have to wait until they are dismissed. It is hard to get across with everything else they have to remember. I have a few guys in every grade whose seats seem to be electrified since they cannot stay in them for longer than two seconds. We are working on that as well. I am thinking that Velcro is not an option.
2. Alex is trying really hard to have good days at school. We are trying to divide up his days and work on half at a time. At PE this week, he was having such a hard time being still and listening, that Coach had him exercise while the others were playing a game. I had to laugh!! We are doing pretty good with me working, he doesn't seem to mind it when I come by and give him a kiss.
3. Lauren seem to be testing her teacher this week, and me as well. I have found that it works better if someone else works with her in the cafeteria. She seems to respond better. I still go up and give her a kiss. Today, though I got a "MOM, this is embarrassing". Oh well!
4. Heather has decided to drop a class and go full-time at one of her jobs. Yes, we have talked with her. But you know how much smarter you are at 19. She is looking, again, into moving out and being on her own. Working full-time will help a lot, but we have tried to caution her about saving up first. But you know!
5. Aaron has been invited to join the National Junior Honor Society. We are very impressed. He had hit his mid 9 weeks slump. His grades have slipped a little and now he has to work hard to get them back up again. He seems to love the last minute thing. Track is going well, but it is the off season, so they are not doing much.
6. We have all (except for Lauren and Heather) had a bout with staph. It is a mild strain that is going around Aaron's middle school. What fun! We have all had medicine as well as an ointment that goes in your nose. Even Heather.
That seems to be all so far. Thanks for your patience. I'll try to keep up better!!!
1. I am now employed. No, it is not a huge deal, but it is some money coming in. I work at the kids' school in the lunchroom as a monitor. What that means is a lot of opening packets, getting napkins, answering questions, and saying things like, " I am so sad that the red light is on. Now you have to be silent." They are winning, but I am fighting back!! I am currently by myself, but I am told that there will be another monitor soon. Teachers and staff are trying to be in there to help, but they have real jobs as well. The school has scheduled the older kids first and the kindergartners at the end when they are fresh and I am not! They are so cute, though. So many of them have been taught to clear their place when they are done and in the cafeteria, they have to wait until they are dismissed. It is hard to get across with everything else they have to remember. I have a few guys in every grade whose seats seem to be electrified since they cannot stay in them for longer than two seconds. We are working on that as well. I am thinking that Velcro is not an option.
2. Alex is trying really hard to have good days at school. We are trying to divide up his days and work on half at a time. At PE this week, he was having such a hard time being still and listening, that Coach had him exercise while the others were playing a game. I had to laugh!! We are doing pretty good with me working, he doesn't seem to mind it when I come by and give him a kiss.
3. Lauren seem to be testing her teacher this week, and me as well. I have found that it works better if someone else works with her in the cafeteria. She seems to respond better. I still go up and give her a kiss. Today, though I got a "MOM, this is embarrassing". Oh well!
4. Heather has decided to drop a class and go full-time at one of her jobs. Yes, we have talked with her. But you know how much smarter you are at 19. She is looking, again, into moving out and being on her own. Working full-time will help a lot, but we have tried to caution her about saving up first. But you know!
5. Aaron has been invited to join the National Junior Honor Society. We are very impressed. He had hit his mid 9 weeks slump. His grades have slipped a little and now he has to work hard to get them back up again. He seems to love the last minute thing. Track is going well, but it is the off season, so they are not doing much.
6. We have all (except for Lauren and Heather) had a bout with staph. It is a mild strain that is going around Aaron's middle school. What fun! We have all had medicine as well as an ointment that goes in your nose. Even Heather.
That seems to be all so far. Thanks for your patience. I'll try to keep up better!!!
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