Skipping The Kindergarten.

...So, I wonder what he thinks about the second grade and on!

Beautiful Waste.

Emanuele Pizzolorusso| Waste Paper Bin

A waste basket is made entirely of recycled paper. 

+Thin paper layers of 40 disposable bags. 

Extract the bag and throw the paper away when bin is full.

...and guess what? The layer beneath is ready to collect more paper.

The PTA.

Abréviation/ Acronym: PTA, PTO
Otherwise known as: The Parent Teacher Association, Parent Teacher Organization 


“Welcome to the PTA!”, they said.
“It will be a breeze”, they said.

And then they ran.

As a matter of fact, I don’t think I’ve seen any of the old PTA board around since the switching of the board mid August.

Wait, let me start over.
I have seen a ‘few’ of the old board members…in passing.

I’ve also overheard the catty remarks on the side as to what the new board ‘should be’ doing. Funny how people mouth off on the sideline? You know on the other side of the parking lot! Hey, I’m standing two cars over from you! How about offering advice – since you’ve been there and done that!

Oh, and then there’s Ms. Zumba a.k.a. the parent with three real names (there are a few of them at the school). She approached the PTA President in the school parking lot about her concern on the upcoming Harvest festival and made the PTA president all frazzled.

Smh. Funny. Real funny. Ms. Zumba lady. Cleary you knew who and who not to approach!
No worries. We found an activity for her -Chair of Santa’s Workshop – you know – because she knows everything!

(Sorry, I went off on a tangent)

The PTA, it ain’t rosey.
They talk about you.
The same few parents and/or guardians volunteer – and how that burns me up…I never understood parents that made no effort in volunteering.
I believe my time is as important as yours. Not to mention it’s for YOUR CHILD.
Oh, but guess what? Your child really likes seeing me at the school and most of the time I know how their day went – so take that.

This PTA thing…
It’s like my normal 9 to 5. wtf.
The responsibility involved.
It’s not a breeze!

Btw, oh my gosh, Did I mention I’m PTA treasurer?
Seriously, worst position like e-v-e-r!
Balancing books for campaigns. fundraisers. spirit night. box tops
Folks don’t want to own up on what they owe (you know you owe fundraising money, stop playing and no we can’t barter)
Folks write out their checks wrong (because it’s rocket science, not)
Gimme. Gimme.  Gimmie.
When did the PTA become the Bank of America…like why do we pay all the bills?
Hey, News Flash People. Gimme got shot when the PTA board transferred over!

Oh and the Bank, the bank we bank at is Aawful – that’s double A awful! Like the school chose the bank awful. Like prehistoric banking awful. Now you know that’s just AWFUL!

And let’s not start on the School Board that expects the PTA to operate on the 5th hour as they do. That would require another post.

So now it’s January and school has started back up again.
I was afforded a partial break from my PTA duties due to the holiday – my Savior!
Back to sticks and stones
Back to writing checks, receipts and disbursements.
Back to balancing the books.
Back to planning and implementing volunteer hours.
Back to knowing ‘it won’t be a breeze’ – as they once said.

++++
Are you on a PTA Board at your child’s school? What’s your favorite part of PTA?

Family.

They came
we fellowshipped
we broke bread
They left

Or

They came
They cackled
They laid all over my furniture
They ate all my damn food (even what I didn’t sit out)
They used my Internet
They tore up my sons playroom
They left and went on their merry way

EITHER WAY…

They’re family and we had a good time. I think I’ll invite them back again...next year...New Years Day.

The Last Five Months.

The lazy five months have been…let's say crazy. Or cray cray (for the hip folks)

The school semester started not only for my son but for me as well. With this being my last year of school the semester felt like a movie that would just never end, ground hogs day, or possibly hell if it's anything like what I've been told.

Needless to say my blog was neglected. I truly wanted to share but I just had no energy in between the day-to-day, my school, my sons schooling and sports, oh and wait…the P.T.A (that's another story).  Overall, I think I spent more time on Instagram than my blog because it was a bit easier - less writing.

Despite my hell, excuse me, I meant my classes, I (we) did get out a little.

I must say that when we did venture out, we enjoyed it to the fullest! Below is a photo review of all the things we did when I didn't have my head in the books…and that I never got the change to write about.

My sons first day of kindergarten…woo hoo! He's super excited…it's probably just for recess!

An early Saturday morning on the soccer field.

A long weekend in Dallas to spend time with family and for my younger cousins wedding.

Picking pumpkins and getting fresh fruits at the local farm.

No explanation needed…someone's 5 and still knows EVERYTHING!

Halloween: Ironman by night, Farmer Joe by day.

For the love of New York City. A trip to see the Rockettes, a visit to Times Square, 

Rockefeller Plaza with family and friends.

Happy New Year.

In Between A to Z (The Holidays)

The Weekend In Pictures.

Holding It In.

Last night my kid did a number on me.
Well, I suppose that's normal...but last night it was different.

It all started when I took his paper airplane away from him because it was distracting him from putting on his seat belt. Seriously, who wants to sit in the parking lot for 15 minutes while their kid puts on his seat belt?
He cried.

Then in route to meeting up with his little friend and her dad, he decided he wanted a hug. No, to be exact, he wanted me to stop the car in rush hour traffic - while driving in the left lane on the beltway - and get out and give him a hug. I wouldn't do it...you know safety reasons.
He cried.

Then it was at Barnes & Nobles. He wanted to take home 20 packaged Thomas the Tank trains. No, seriously. If you know my kid you know he has over 50 Thomas the Tank trains, etc. It wasn't enough that he was spending time with one of his friends on a play date and during the week at that.
He pouted and cried.

The finale - when we were being seated at the restaurant. He wanted to sit next to his little friend. The friends dad wanted them to sit across from each other to make sure they would eat their dinner and not play. I totally got that. My sons friend got it,  but my kid didn't.
He pouted and cried.

Inside, each time, I think my patience and mental capacity just depleted.
All I could think is: 
Why. 
Why me? 
Why now? 
Whose kid is this? 
And, what happened during the day for my kid to be like this?

The other part of me was thinking, if he doesn't cut it out there is going to be trouble!
I even thought about just dropping him off at someones house - my cousins or moms, ringing the bell and running and leaving him there - even if I had to tie him up to the porch furniture. Yes, I went there!

My last thought was too go home and make a martini. Okay, so I just found a new martini recipe - I thought it would mellow me out.

The night ended quietly.
The kid went off to bed with no problems. I suppose all that crying and the tantrums wore him out.
I on the other hand never made that martini. I was just too drained to mix and shake anything.

How do you as a parent cope with the meltdowns and a whiny kid? What's your breaking point?

---To Follow Up---
This morning I landed on "MOTHERHOOD: THE BIG, FAT FUCK YOU" an article by Lisa Morguess on the Scary Mommy blog. You can read it here. It's worth a read.

The comments are worth a read too. One comment that stuck out was:

"Ya know what kills me? That moms feel like they must apologize for losing it. That moms should be thankful and and feel totally fulfilled by motherhood every day of their bloody lives. Who made this crap up? Motherhood, like everything else, is full of trials and tribulations, and sometimes sucks and is sometimes joyful, and is another aspect of being a human being, and human being are imperfect even when we are trying our best. And we should not judge another mom who yells at her kids when she’s had enough of their lack of cooperation and concern for others! Sometimes that is the only time kids actually hear us and hopefully they learn something…."
-Melon

WW - While You Slept.

My kid likes to hang things on the wall...with tape.
I like to hang things on the wall too...neatly.
So there's a constant struggle over what we will hang or put up on the wall (and refrigerator) and how it will be presented.

The other day I decided I'd take a nap.
My son decided to play in his playroom.
An hour later when I went to check on him, I was greeted by what you see above.
He decided to hang up his pictures from school last year with some sort of sticky rope that he got from camp.

I haven't taken this down.
I figure...let it go. No stress.

All in all, every time I go into his playroom I just sort of stare at the wall and walk out.

On my end, there are no words for this
As for him - oh he's pretty excited!

+++++

This post is a Wordless Wednesday post.

Learn more about Wordless Wednesday here.

Lov'in.

the Lumineers, "Ho Hey"

In memory of my cousin who lost his battle with cancer this morning.

God our Father,
Your power brings us to birth,
Your providence guides our lives,
and by Your command we return to dust.

Lord, those who die still live in Your presence,
their lives change but do not end.
I pray in hope for my family,
relatives and friends,
and for all the dead known to You alone.

In company with Christ,
Who died and now lives,
may they rejoice in Your kingdom,
where all our tears are wiped away.
Unite us together again in one family,
to sing Your praise forever and ever.

Amen.

/Source/

O's.

O'sssssssssssssssss.
Feel the magic. A night at the ballpark.

p.s. We lost...score not needed. Yes, it was bad.

Little Builders.

Lowes offers a Build and Grow clinic for kids.
I had been saying for the longest time (in my head of course) that I should take my little one to one of the clinics.

A year later...
Like two weeks ago, while making a trip to Lowes, I finally signed my son up for two of the clinics.
The first clinic we didn't make. However, the second was last weekend. We made that one.

The build clinic was a bit different than I expected. I thought a store associate would be talking and interacting with the kids. Not the case. Turns out parents and guardians were doing all the work and providing guidance.
The store associate just handed out the supplies and went on her merry way.

I'm not really sure how I'd rate the clinic. I'd say for the sake of the kids it was a good experience. For the sake of parents, it would have been nice if there was an introduction to the project and a bit of interaction between teacher, student, and parents (the ones without any patience).

And being a designer, I have to note that I wasn't pleased about receiving a handwritten certificate at the end. That sort of stuff ruffles my edges.

All in all, if you have kids try it out for yourself.

Project: Toy Story RC 

39 Love.

Okay, so it's the day after my birthday.
I have to say yesterday was filled with a few surprises. The biggest of them all my son remembering to tell me happy birthday, taking me to dinner, along with presenting me with a few gifts. I know, he's only 4 and my mom made that possible but, it was special! I also received roses from my uncle that I hadn't talked to in over a year...definitely a treat.

So here's to turning 39 and all the wonder surprises along the way.

39.

Today marks my 39th birthday.
I am thankful, blessed and truly grateful for all HE has done.


I'm also thankful that a friend had to remind me of this...lol.

Where

...do we go from here.

The Zimmerman verdict vibrated beyond Florida.

Source: Mario Tama/Getty Images via NPR

~*~

Prayers to the Martin family.

Prayers to any family that has lost a child to senseless violence.

Prayers to the children of the future.

Wordless Wednesday - Superhero Push-ups.

"Superhero push-ups minus two."

A Wordless Wednesday Post.

Learn more about Wordless Wednesday here.

To A Friend.

It's amazing...
the power of music.
you hear a song
it brings back memories.
either good or bad.
you may or may not like it
but it happens.

I heard Jumper by Third Eye Blind.
I heard it last week.
and this week...
the song is still in my head.
sometimes you just can't shake it!





To A Friend:
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. /3 John 1:2

One Fine Day.

Last Wednesday was the closing program for the Pre-K and Kindergarten classes at my sons school.  There will be a little singing here, a little singing there I thought. The teachers, principal, and pastor will speak and it will be all over in 20 minutes tops!

Not the case.

There was singing by both grades. However, I’m not sure what my kid was doing. He was only enthusiastic about one song. I kind of don’t feel bad about it. I mean the rest of the songs that were sung I heard the ENTIRE school year (at the school, at home, in the car, etc.). I suppose he was over them. The one song he did sing was participatory – that will get the kids going if anything.

There were also a few words by the teachers, principal, and pastor as well as a slide show at the end of the ceremony.

And then somewhere in between all of that, promotion of next grade certificates and awards were given out.  When I heard that awards were going to be given out I cringed. It didn't help that my parents and other family members looked back at me and asked, “Will E be getting an award?” My response was a shrug of the shoulders and a side eye as in to say, “Really people, do I know!”

Suddenly, I sort of slide down a little in my seat and wondered, awards? What, they’re giving out awards? Oh my goodness! I wondered how I'd I feel if my kid didn't get one? Will that make me a bad parent? Did I not do something right this school year?  Wait, kids get awards in Pre-K? 

Promotion certificates were given out first. When they called my kids name, I could hardly get up to get a picture because inside I’m still spazzing over this award thing. Thank God for other family members and their gadgets.

Okay, so now I’m feeling like a crazy lady and an idiot. Regroup, regroup, and regroup – it’s “award time.” I just sit there…

I hear my sons name being called, I jumped up slightly. I didn't want to seem too excited or crazy. Inside I’m thinking Yessssssssssssssssssssssss! That’s my boy! Proud Momma!  (Only six awards were given out).

The award – In Recognition of Demonstrating A Positive Attitude, Good Character, Hard-worker, and Responsible Citizenship  

As he gets his award from the principal he looks towards me and smiles. I smile back. 

...Definitely one fine day.