Day 43: Basketball & Boy Scouts

Dear Fabulous Spouse,

It was another semi crazy day today.  Luckily, there was no Girl Scouts, just wrestling, basketball, and boy scouts.  Now, if we could just get the middle school coaches to let the boys out on time, we just might be able to get somewhere on time!

Translation: As long as you do not pause to breathe, it is just like clockwork.

This is how the night goes.  Feed the little guys, get Illusive Middle Child ready for basketball. Then everyone piles into the car and heads to the middle school parking lot to watch the clock tick as wrestling practice runs late.  Oldest Child hops into the car, and we drive home.

At home, Oldest Child and Girl Friday get out so that Oldest Child can shower, change, and eat dinner (and Girl Friday can just hang).  Illusive Middle Child and I drive to basketball practice, and we are only about 10 minutes late (Yeah!).  Since there is another team scheduled after us, we always get out on time… or pretty close!

Then we head to the car, swing by the house, and pick up the other two to drop off Oldest Child at the church for Boy Scouts, and then head back home for an hour… just long enough to put dinner away (and contribute the growing leftover stashes).  Then it is back out again to pick up Oldest Child and get ready for bed.  Tired yet?

Day 42: Welcome Week 6!

Dear Fabulous Spouse,

Can you believe that it has been six weeks already?  It seems like those Monday morning milestones keep creeping up on us!  Tonight is also Parish Planning meeting and Cub Scouts…

We miss you!

Love,

Me

Translation: Please no Blood! 

Tonight is Whittling Chip night.  That means nine year olds with pocket knives.  As I was in charge, there is but one lone photo.  Like I said…9 year olds with pocket knives.

This is the third time that I have taught the whittling chip, but the first time without Fabulous Spouse to act as a parental unit to our child.  The good news was, that the threat and fear of Disney Princess Band-Aids was enough of a deterrent to prevent any blood loss. Yeah! …and only one child cried because carving green floral foam was too hard. …and that child was not mine! Way to go Illusive Middle Child!

Day 41: Super Bowl Sunday

Dear Fabulous Spouse,

Today is Sunday, that means clean up…and Super Bowl Sunday!  Instead of company, we had family time.  The Kids relaxed and enjoyed a great game.  Everyone (except Illusive Middle Child) was excited to have the Giants win!

We miss you.

Love,

Me

Translation: “All Hail the New York Giants” –King Julian, Madagascar

Today was fun.  The kids were a little disappointed that we were not throwing a party, but really, I just wanted to relax. It was a close 21-17 victory for the NY Giants.  After several years in a row of losing bets to his Mom, Oldest Child refused to take the Patriots… even though they were favored to win.  Girl Friday wanted the NY Giants to win…because they were in Madagascar.  Illusive Middle Child wanted the Patriots to win because his Dad is a Patriot (and he feels that we should all be ashamed for not feeling the same way and root for New England as well).

The “Country” won the Super Bowl coin toss, that means that we have free Papa John’s pizza in our future…we also had some as a part of our Super Bowl Feast!

When it came to half time, Girl Friday thought that the cheerleaders were cool…but they did not do any pyramids or tricks (except the guy on the string, but he is not a girl and therefore not a REAL cheerleader)…even if they (the girls) did sing.

As for commercials, my personal favorite was the naked M&M.  The kids thought that the Dog Godfather bribing his owner with Doritos was #1.  Third for all of us was the Biggest Loser Dog commercial from the Mos Isley Cantina.

It was a great day/ night! …and the best news was…no school tomorrow, so I could relax and text into the night with Fabulous Spouse and not worry about the 5:30 alarm clock!

Day 40: Basketball Game Day#3

Dear Fabulous Spouse,

Today was another basketball day.  Today we were  almost back to back with our games, so it was family day at the basketball court.  Afterwards, we went to Costco and picked up Super Bowl snacks.

We miss you!

Love,

Me

Translation: Get ‘er done, and yes you have to come

Today was a comedy of errors that ended well.  The plan: Pick up lunch at McD’s.  Pick up Girl Friday from sleepover.  Eat enroute.   Illusive Middle Child’s game.  Girl Friday’s game. Costco snack frenzy to get Super Bowl eats.





Reality: Got to McD’s drive-in. Realized that Girl Friday’s uniform was still at home. Went home.  Picked up uniform (luckily dry in the drier and not wet in the washer, as Saturday is laundry day). Dropped Illusive Middle Child off for game, as he was now almost late.  Picked up Girl Friday.  Ate in parking lot (no food allowed in gym)...side note: McD's new chicken poppers not great...at least at room temperature.  Missed first five minutes of Illusive Middle Child’s game.  Girl Friday’s was late starting, so Oldest Child complained that it was boring. (However, she did get a throw in like her brother usually does).

Next, the carrot that got Oldest Child out the door in the first place…pre-Super Bowl samples and the chummed waters of hungry/ desperate shoppers at Costco.  It was kind of like herding cats…hungry, feral cats, but we got through it and each picked one item.

I picked Cream Puffs

Oldest Child-Taquitoes

Illusive Middle Child- Honey BBQ wings

Girl Friday- Mozzarella Sticks

Are we ready for some football?  I think so!

Day 39: TGIF

Dear Fabulous Spouse,

Thank goodness it’s Friday!  Finally, we can relax, eat some pizza and watch a movie! …Wait… the Neighbor Kid’s parents are stuck in traffic.  No pizza until 7:15.  At least Girl Friday scored a sleepover!

We miss you!

Love,

Me

Translation: Late night movies

Parent pick up for our Neighbor Boy was way later than usual.  So, Pizza was not served until almost 8.  However, since Girl Friday had a sleepover with her Girl Scout friend, the boys and I finally watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.  Illusive Middle Child now keeps going around quoting Dobby the House Elf, “Dobby did not mean to kill, he only meant to maim or seriously injure.” 

There you go.  A very good quote of the day.

Day 38: Baking Sugar Cookies

Dear Fabulous Spouse,

Today was spent doing shredding in the church office.  I came home to the most wonderful of presents.  Thank you!  The kids have decided that since you are so far away, that they need to provide the office with a Valentine’s Day Party complete with homemade Valentine’s sugar cookies.  Look for an extra box in 10 days or so!

We Miss You!

Love,

Me

Translation: I love my kids.  Really.

The one thing that I love about Christmas, is that it is only once a year.  There are certain things that incur stress and test the internal moral fortitude.  However, the infrequency gives you the strength to smile and carry on.  Making sugar cookies is one of those acts.

However, as Fabulous Spouse is stranded on a remote desert country that only owns one pay phone, the little guys have decided that their Dad’s office needs a Valentine’s Day party in a box…and that box needs hand cut sugar cookies.  Joy.

After surviving sugar cookies : ) , we had basketball.  Now, basketball is not my sport.  However, as a dutiful parent, I drive, I stay, and I absorb (some).  The biggest thing that I have absorbed is that my daughter and my son are playing two very different games.  While Illusive Middle Child is learning passes and teamwork, Girl Friday is learning court positions (apparently there are 5 around the key…another term I have learned), and defensive dribbling.  Interesting.  Really.

Day 37: WOYWW & OLW

Dear Fabulous Spouse,

Only you can speak scrapbook-ese.  Acronyms are not soley the province of the military!  The only after school activity today was CCD for Oldest Child!  (Thank Goodness!)

We love you and miss you!

Love,

Me

Translation: Pulling an all nighter as we have not done our homework

We pulled an all nigher last night in order to get our double whammy (or is it No Wammies?) of a post for our scrapbook blog.  That meant a 3AM bedtime…and that was just the crafting.  The actual post came in just under the wire for our International deadline of 8AM PST!

So, let’s just say that a LONG nap was in order!  That is an important lesson: Nap whenever you can when the kids are not home!  In the end we had a rather good What’s On your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW) and One Little Word (OLW) post.

BTW, I think that JOURNEY was the perfect word to pick to embody this year!