Not what they used to be

When I was in elementary school we sold "Sally Foster gift wrap" as a fund raiser. We were supposed to go door to door and sell this wrapping paper. I'm sure I did and probably the only people who bought from me were my aunts and uncles, and then my mom and dad bought whatever I didn't sell so I could win the dumb little prizes they give out if you get your quota. It was pretty easy though, I mean we didn't have the internet so we had these packets with little samples of paper on them, you would fill out your name, address, and check the boxes of the paper you wanted...pretty simple...AND QUICK! Well, things are not as they used to be. We live in a world of technology where we can do things that as a child I never even dreamed of. I mean i know I sound so old when I tell Noah things like "People didn't have cell phones when I was your age" and "we didn't have tvs in the car, we actually had to play with barbies and things when i was your age". Well, Noah brought home the Sally Foster packet for his school to raise money. When I took it out of his book bag, I noticed the packet wasn't very thick. I realized they do everything online now. Oh wow, great. I'm sure that makes it easier. NO, It DOES NOT!!!!!! Do Not be fooled by modern technology!!! My mom wanted to buy some from Noah so she gave me a check and told me to pick some things out for her. I tried to figure out how the whole process worked online and I was getting so frustrated when I couldn't figure it out. I called Allen over to help me since he is so much better at online stuff than I am. Well, after 1 hour, 3 websites, and about a million security questions, we finally cracked the code and we were able to place an order. what a joke!! They want Noah to sell this???? It took 2 grown adults to figure it out. ha! Whew, I need a nap now.

On a better note, Allen and I went to Noah's curriculum night and I just can't get over how much I love Noah's teacher!! We got to see his seat, his folder with all the stuff he is working on and the books he is reading...and I mean reading! That's right...Noah can read!!! yay!!!!! My days of spelling things in front of him are quickly coming to an end!! I am so proud of him!

in a nutshell...

the last 3 weeks of my life have been interesting to say the least. As if sending my baby off to kindergarten didn't rip my heart right out of chest, I have had to deal with bullying. real bullying. not "oh i am a way too overprotective mother and your kid called my kid a weenie" bullying. i mean bullying. "pushing, slapping, hitting, sleeper holds, noogies, waiting until the teachers are gone and push my kid into poles" kind of bullying. and i have a tough kid. Basically, we had to get the bus driver, principal, and teachers involved. Noah was coming home with bruises on his neck and I was not a happy camper. To be honest, I am surprised Noah didn't beat the crap out of the kid. Allen and I have had many conversations about standing up for yourself even if that means you might have to throw a punch at the bully in the past week. It is a weird situation because the kid is our neighbor and we just met him over the summer. Noah played with him once but then we didn't see him again since he spent most of the summer out of state with his dad. Anyway, long story short, I gave the kid of piece of my mind (using my "mean face" as Noah puts it) and once his mom finally got involved, things started to settle down. His mom just had a baby with her boyfriend (hmmm, are you starting to see the problem??) The kids mom made him apologize to Noah but since it was forced I am still worried about it. But mark my words...it will stop! Between all those people knowing what is happening, Noah having our permission to punch him in the nose if it doesn't stop, and my mean face; the next step will be me calling the police if the kid so much as looks at Noah in a way I don't like. Thankfully Noah is the strongest, toughest kid i know and this hasn't caused any emotional bruises on him.

So there ya go...life in a nutshell. I am ready for this to be behind us so we can continue having fun in kindergarten and quit worrying about the bus ride.

A Blessing

6 Years ago when we moved into our house, a single mom (Regine) with 2 kids (Louise and Claude) moved in across the street. She is great. her kids are great. They are the kind of neighbors you love to have, just great people. Louis is 10 and Claude is 13. Claude was born at 26 weeks and has severe disabilities. To be honest, I am not sure what all of his disabilities are but i know he has some OCD/Autism tendencies and some major hearing/communication disabilities. He does have hearing aids in both ears but still can't hear a lot. His mom uses sign language to communicate with him and even though he understands what she is saying, he doesn't reciprocate it, making it hard to have a 2 way conversation.

Although you would never know it taking to Regine, it is hard for her to juggle working full time as a teacher and making sure both her kids are taken care of (more so than a mom of kids without any disabilities). Regine has to leave for work at 6am leaving both kids home alone for a few hours until the bus comes. Louis and Noah ride the same bus but Claude's bus doesn't come for 45 minutes after the elementary bus. Although Louis is only 10, she is great with her older brother and really takes care of him. Regine was in a panic since the lady that was sitting with Claude every morning backed out last minute so of course, i offered to help. So once Noah and Louis get on the bus, I go and sit with Claude until his bus comes to pick him up at the front door.

Because of his OCD/Autism tendencies, the routine is pretty much the same every morning. When i walk in the front door, Claude is sitting on the couch watching Clifford. Then comes Super Why and at the end of Super Why the bus comes. I help Claude get a drink of water, go to the bathroom, get his backpack on and get out the door and on the bus. Every morning the same. I try to interact with Claude but usually our interaction is very small and limited being as I only know a few words of sign language and he doesn't talk back. But nonetheless, I smile at him every chance I get. I mean a smile is the universal language, right? Then, when he is is on the bus, i turn off the tv and lights, lock up, text his mom to tell her he is on the bus, and then i go home.

Well, the other day (after a few weeks of this same routine), everything was the same except when Claude was walking out the door, he stopped and gave me the BIGGEST hug!!! I seriously got the biggest tears in my eyes! I texted his mom that day like i do every day and told her about the hug. She called me right away to thank me because Claude only hugs people when he feels really comfortable with them. I could hear the relief in Regine's voice knowing that Claude was safe and comfortable when she couldn't be there to help him on the bus. Every day since that day, Claude gives me a hug on the way out the door. I can tell that he is trying to interact with me a little more each day too. Just this morning, he asked me to put the covers on him while he was sitting on the couch watching tv. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is! Other than spending time with Allen and Noah, the 45 minutes I spend with Claude each morning is one of the best parts of my day. It is seriously changing me. It sets the tone of my day. The not so funny thing about it is that the lady that Regine was paying to sit with Claude every morning backed out because she felt uncomfortable being around Claude. She told Regine that. I am so glad that I am able to help out and even though I won't accept any money from Regine, I am being paid every day in a way that money could never even compete with. Claude is an amazing kid and I am so thankful that he is helping me to count my blessings!

The Bus

The dreaded bus. What is it? It is the big yellow monster that drives that down road that is trying to UNdo 5 years of my time, patience (mostly), and love! My worst fear is coming true...well, my 2nd worst fear. My Worst fear is that Noah will get picked on by older kids and somehow it will damage his self esteem or confidence. But my 2nd worst fear is that kids on the bus would pick on someone and Noah would join in or that they would teach Noah bad habits or rude sayings or whatever.

There is this boy who lives 2 doors over (which is really close in a townhome) and he and Noah have become friends. They are 2 years apart but 5 and 7 are very different. They actually played together last spring running back and forth in the backyard between our houses. The kid was away all summer visiting his dad who lives in another state so we didn't see him much. Well, this kid sits with Noah on the bus and today on the ride home I guess he told Noah that in order to be invited to his birthday party, Noah would have to tell the girl sitting across from them that Noah didn't like her..or any girls.

It must have been bothering him and he must have known it wasn't the right thing to do because Noah waited to tell me this until we were driving home from tennis practice at 7:30pm tonight. He told me that even though he DOES like girls (whew!) he just told her that so he could go to the birthday party (which i have a feeling he won't be invited to anyway). So of course, I asked Noah if he liked Audrey, Alice, Ella, and Madeline (his best girl pals) and of course he said yes...so from there we had a LONG talk about peer pressure and how that poor girl probably felt when Noah said that.

I am not ready for this! I am not ready for Noah to be peer pressured. I want to go back to preschool (probably way more than Noah does) and walk down that hallway where "peer pressure" was me telling all the kids that the 'silent game' really is the coolest game in the world. I am not ready for my little kid to be out there in the world where people are mean. Can I please go back to the world where i know EVERY ONE of the parents in Noah's class and actually WANT to hang out with each of them?? Please???????????

LUKE......

I am Your Father!
how many times a day do you think i hear these words??? lets just say if i had a dollar for every time, i would be RICH!!!! This was my best consignment find yet...the whole costume for only 6 dollars!! It was quite a hit when i brought it home for Noah finishing his first full week of school with stickers every day for good behavior :) Way to go Darth!!!

Tennis anyone??

This week is the last week of tennis practice but Noah has been playing for the past 6 weeks. I am so excited that he loves it AND is really good. Allen and I both play tennis and love playing with Noah...


i see a scholarship to Ave Maria in the future...

breakfast date...

I went to Mass with my friend Allison and her little boy, Landon and then out to breakfast. How cute is this little guy...
Landon and his mommy...
me and landon...

I need a drink!

so tonight was the first night of "homework"...if you can even call it that. Just the word "homework" makes me cringe. I hated it as a kid (okay teenager) and I hate it as an adult. I really am a firm believer that kids need to PLAY. I mean run around, get hot and sweaty and dirty and tired! ESPECIALLY after sitting in a classroom all day. Yes, I am aware that in kindergarten the kids don't sit at desks all day long... but still. Today Noah filled me in that his class lost recess because some of the kids wouldn't stop talking in the hallway on the way to somewhere. Now I am not blaming the teacher, I wasn't there and my source is a 5 year old, but I probably would have taken something else away. Noah told me instead of recess they had to all sit with their heads down on the desk....sounds kind of like prison to me. I get it, the kids need to listen to the teacher ...hell I agree 100% with that...but recess?? kids NEED that...as much as they need to learn how to write their name.

So that brings me to homework. Tonight's homework was for each kid to write their name 4 times but in lower case letters (except for the first letter of their name). HOLY CRAP....you would have thought I was asking Noah to write out an entire book before dinnertime. Although he complained a lot, he did it the first time. Then we sat there for 45 minutes while he gave me every excuse why he should be able to write his name in all uppercase letters, then he told me how boring his homework was and how he was missing out on "everything else he wanted to do tonight". I will say that for having 2 parents that majored in theater, Allen and I are mighty proud of our little actor...you would have really thought he was in some major pain tonight! :) Noah FINALLY wrote his name and life continued. I got a little taste of what is to come. I mean I can't blame him, I did the same thing with my mom and Allen did the same with his. Homework was not my thing. It still isn't! But I did make a deal with Noah tonight. I told him I could save him 6 years of homework. The deal is this...he has to do homework all of elementary school, all of middle school, and all of high school but if he should get an offer to play major league ball instead of going to college I would let him take the offer. I don't even care what sport. BUT if he doesn't have an offer in high school, he has to go to college and grad school therefore 6 more years of homework. I think it is a pretty good deal, don't you?? Now, if i can only get through the next 13 years of homework...whew, I am tired all of a sudden.

my funny kid

I went to check on Noah since he was being really quiet and found him playing video games like this.....

the Frosty

the frosty is fun for all ages...

For Fun...

I work part time with a catering company and many times we have been selected to cater celebrities personal parties. Last weekend I got to cater in the home of a celebrity and I snuck a picture of his house. Can you guess who?? (you are NOT allowed to answer if i personally told you the answer...ehem...Barrett!) but all other guesses welcome!

The Big Day

Although I prayed it wouldn't get here so fast, the big day came anyway! Noah was a champ! He was ready bright and early and let me take a million pictures... He was all dressed in his Star Wars gear, shirt, shoes, and backpack...


waiting for the bus...
It's here!!!
I was doing great until this exact moment. As soon as he lined up for the bus, I lost it...and cried all day!



But then in the afternoon, Allen and I (along with other moms) waited for the bus to come...


And my big guy hoped right off with a huge smile on his face!!! I was so proud!!!

Tomorrow...

this kid goes off to kindergarten...

Sprayground

Noah and I have been packing in the fun all week since school starts on Monday! We had a pool party earlier in the week and then met our friends at the sprayground later in the week...have you ever seen a cuter group of kids?
this picture cracks me up...Patrick was soaking wet but wanted to be held by his mom so this is what he got...
the 3 amigos...
the troublemakers...
some of the cutest kids i know....

Mission Accomplished!

My summer "to do list" is now complete! Tonight completed my fun list with enjoying the Stone Mountain Laser Show!




does that mean it is time for school to start? ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! It really has been such a fun summer!!

Summer List:

I had a list of things I wanted to do before the end of summer. Noah starts school one week from today and so far i have done everything on my list except one thing. Here's my list...

To Do:
Lake Lanier Water Park
Stone Mountain Laser Show
Beach trip to Hilton Head Island
see Toy Story 3
see How to Train a Dragon
go to the pool
clean out my attic
visit my family in St Louis
go for a bike ride
see a movie in the theater that is NOT rated G
go camping
feed the homeless
sleep in past 9am
make a creative new meal for my family
play with our friends
sell/give away Noah's baby stuff
have fun with my boys
tubing in Helen
eat a caramel apple from Helen
see Uncle Bubba


can you guess which one of these we have to do this week? There is only ONE on the list left of our fun summer vacation!