Parenting Report Card

So, I gave myself a D- for my parenting skills for Monday. I should probably explain.

Growing up in California- if there was no mail (ie federal holiday) there was no school. Monday happened to be Columbus Day, for those of you who didn't know. Banks are even closed. But unlike the Postal Service, even federal holidays don't stop Utahans from going to school.

Here is jolly old Utah we have UEA. (UEA=vacation time). It is supposed to be a time for teachers here in Utah to go to teaching conferences, or something like that. Honestly, all of the teachers I know just plan vacations, along with the other families. This is a new concept to me so I am still not accustomed to planning a vaca in the middle of October. Church attendance during UEA is like church attendance during the bow hunt. NO ONE! Well, at least all of the cool people are gone. Just keep in mind, my family and I don't miss church during UEA or the bow hunt. What does this say about us? Yup- I know, we aren't cool. I have totally come to terms with this fact, I just feel bad for my kids that they are stuck in an "uncool" family.

Anyway, last week Kylie came home and told me they had Monday and Tuesday off of school. I said, "no way, you have Thursday and Friday off, I doubt they would let you Monday AND Tuesday off. Monday, I am sure you do because it is Columbus Day." She tried to convince me some more, but I would hear none of it.

Sunday night, I'm at work. I called Dalen while I was on break and he said he was keeping the kids up late for me so they would sleep in since there is no school. (I was the one that told him there was no school) Nice thought, but rarely works to keep the younger kids in bed.

Monday morning arrives, and so does my friend, Jenny, whose turn it was to pick up for school. WHAT? But there is no school... or is there? Yup, that's right ladies and gentlemen, there was school. See, because of UEA, they have moving the Monday off of school to next Monday so the kids get a 5 day break. Seriously, I failed in my parenting. I couldn't get Kylie out of bed when she didn't get into it until about midnight (not MY idea of keeping the kids up late, I would have said 10, maybe 10:30). So, when she woke up I got her ready. She cried. She doesn't want to miss any days of school this year because she heard that if you go everyday you get a ribbon at the end of the year. Anyway, I got her to school at the same time I took Jacob to school. At least he wasn't late.

What kind of Mom am I? I need to pay more attention to the calendars they send home with the kids. I thought those were just something to fill up my trashcan, but apparently they are supposed to help with daily schedules, reminders, and announcements from the school. OH!

(I decided on the ironic theme song this time around- Fight For Your Right by the Beastie Boys. Ironic because the Mom won't let the kids stay home who doesn't want to go to school, and it was opposite with me and Kylie.)

My fantasy come to life!

New Trailer alert... Before you start reading/watching this section turn off the music. You need to experience the fullness of the trailer. I think this is the best one they have put out so far. Makes me excited. My friends and I are going to the opening night - ya, you know who you are- you better be planning on it. We are going to be dead tired the next day, but well worth it, I am hoping!

Twilight HD Exclusive Trailer

Blog Stalking

Instead of spending time today blogging about the goings-on at my domain I thought I'd share my new obsession. Blog Stalking. I love, love, love to check out other people's blogs. I don't even know you, but I feel close to you! Sometimes I get so lost in Blog Stalking World that I have no clue how to get home (should have remembered to drop the breadcrumbs). The only option is to just turn on a new browser window and start all over. It is a vicious cycle. My kids are left to their own devices when I get on a roll. Will it end? Do I need to join BGA (blog stalkers anonymous)? If any of you have advice as to how to kick this addiction let me know. As for me, I have even added my own Blog Stalking side column for those who want to enjoy the laughs, too. I know there are others out there like me.

(theme song- most definitely had to be the theme to pink panther. Great choice, I know.)

NOT YET!

Who ordered the snow? I mean really, it is only the beginning of October. It wasn't me, I swear! I woke up Sunday to this...

AND this...

By the way- the snow is hiding it pretty well, but this is Dalen's new work car. Sweet, huh? Makes us look like we have money. HHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAA!! That's pretty funny. I might have to run to the bathroom!

Okay, now that I have stopped laughing I am going to get back to the snow thing. I think this is the hardest part about being a parent. Well, not really, but it is hard. I hate snow. You are probably asking me why I live in a place where it snows, well, I like it here except for the snow. I don't like to be cold. I don't like to do anything in the cold. On a snowy day I love to make hot chocolate in my COCOA-Motion Machine (love it!) and snuggle under a furry blanket watching a movie. Playing in the snow is not involved at all, but my kids really love it. Good thing for them we live in a cold place. Unfortunately, as the mom I am the one who gets to supervise and clean up after the winter fun. Here begins another winter!

(this one should be obvious- Let it snow, by Michael Buble)

That's my boy!

A couple of weekends ago I came home to this...

He was just so tired. Playing games on the computer is hard work, don't you know! Now, remember, I am a night owl and I got home pretty late, so Dalen was good enough to leave Jacob in this position until I got home so I could see the real thing! Great, isn't it?

Tag-Team Parenting

I have been so crazy busy with work lately that blogging hasn't really happened a lot, but don't get the idea that I haven't been thinking about what to write. I thought that I'd blog about what has been happening around here with me being gone at work so much. For those who wait on pins and needles for me to blog- I know you are out there- I am sure that you read the post about what my kids do when parents aren't around to supervise. There is more, oh yes, so much more.

Just the other day I was making dinner. Dalen came home and I called the kids into the kitchen to get up to the table. Britin saw me standing there, arms around Dalen, welcoming him home. She looked up at me and this is how the conversation went:

Britin: Why are you home, Mom?
Me: I don't have to work tonight.
Britin: You get to eat dinner with us?
Me: Yup.
(Then, looking at Daddy..._
Britin: Why is Dad home?
Me: He is done with work.
Britin: He gets to eat dinner, too?
Me: Yup.
Britin: Both of you??? (with a BIG smile on her face)

Sad day when this is exciting for your kids. Although, I really do hope that they always like having dinner with the whole family, but at this age, when it is a rarity to have both parents home at the same time it is just hard. I feel blessed to have a job that I can schedule around Dalen. Tag-team parenting is hard, but I am so glad that we are able to be the ones raising the kids we chose to have!

You also know that you have been working too much when for 2 weeks in a row you have forgotten to take your daughter to her dance class. I know that this is a fairly new addition to the weekly schedule, but I hate that she has missed twice now, due to my own oversight. I am running around with my head cut off.

I am so lucky to have a great husband who is trying so hard to make more $$$ for the family so I can work less. He is starting a new parttime job doing mortgages. Anyone interested??? Let me know. He gets paid just to give the presentation to people. He really wants me to be able to stay home with the kids permanently. In my mind I have often wondered if this is because he would like the house clean (I'd say cleaner, but really, you all know how I am, and I've already admitted to hating the bathroom). Then, I have wondered if it is because he misses falling asleep with my frozen feet rubbing up against his steaming, hot legs (nah, that can't be it). Then I have thought that he misses me making breakfast for him (but that really only happened for a couple of months, when I got home from work at 6am and got him off to work before crashing on the front room floor and letting the kids ransack the house around me). Or, maybe he is missing my awesome cooking. Let's face it, dinner is often not something I think about until just before dinnertime. What should we have? What is in the fridge/freezer? I think I am pretty good at fixing stuff in a pinch, if I haven't planned in advance. But, when I leave for work at hours before dinner time I haven't really planned anything out. Thank you to Burger King, Little Caesar's and Wendy's who have saved my children from starvation more than once.

I think I'll have to go with the first and last options. I am pretty sure Dalen would love to have a clean house and good food to eat. Life doesn't get much better than that, does it?

So, for those of you who have tried to call me and haven't had much success reaching me, keep at it. I haven't slipped into a coma, although one could describe my mental state as a coma when I am typing at a desk for 8-10 hours straight. Keep trying. I don't want anyone to forget me.

Oh, by the way, the unibrow and mustache are gone. Melinda (YEAH!) and I went for a girls' night out and got waxed. They actually had a consent form for those who are there for the Brazilian wax. Really? Is this something that people honestly think is a good idea? There are just some places on my body that I will NOT allow wax near. I'll let you all think about that one on your own. While we were there, there was a girl that came in for a nostril wax. OUCH! I remembered my friend Shanna telling me she has done this (sorry if this is outing you, Shanna). She told me whenever she does it she cries. Wouldn't a nosehair trimmer be better? Maybe that is what I will get Shanna for Christmas. Then she won't have to cry. I want to cry just thinking about is.

And finally, since I haven't included any pictures in this post because I haven't grabbed the camera for quick shots lately, here is a random one I found on the internet that I LOVE.

Theme song for this post, I know you all have been missing this part of my postings lately- "Home" by Michael Buble, because it is a place I love to be and have been missing.

It's MY tag...

I love my friend Melinda- who tagged me with this random tag and helped me to think of my oddities that I am about to share with the world. Don't be too scared, I'm still the same person you all know and love, but now you have a small glimpse into my mind- AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

1. I grew up in California. Since there was no snow the highways have bumps between the lanes (I don't know how else to describe it). When changing lanes I try to go right in between the bumps so as not to make any noise. This probably makes no sense to anyone but me, but hey, that is why I do it and not you.
2. I learned to shoot guns when I was a young teenager. I am considered by NRA standards to be an Expert Marksman (the highest level- above sharpshooter). Since I frequented the gun range with my dad I also found out why he is partially deaf. It comes with the territory. I am now partially deaf. In fact, sometimes I am too embarrassed to ask someone to repeat themselves so I'll just nod and agree. If I have ever done this to you and it made no sense as to why I was doing it, now you know. SPEAK LOUDER!
3. I hate cleaning my bathroom. Contrary to Melinda's obsession with the bathroom, I absolutely hate it. I will spend forever (okay, really just 30 minutes) cleaning my awful bathroom and it is dirty in 2.5 second. I have an awful tub that the stuff is peeling, so I can never get it really clean, the tiled floor/grout was never sealed so I can't get the floor to look even halfway decent and I can't reach behind the tub and underneath it to get that area clean. Sorry if you have ever had to endure my nasty bathroom. That is one that the kids will definitely be taking over very soon.
4. I've never balanced a checkbook. I look at my account online and hope that all is well. I really have to work on this one since we are working hard to get rid of all our debt. I just never learned and since debit cards came into existence it is near impossible to have Dalen keep track of all he receipts he gets. Plus, I have worked almost nonstop since we have been married- I really don't have time (at least that is what I tell myself).
5. For as long as I can remember, whenever my family would go on long trips, usually to come up to Utah from California, I would watch the mile markers on the side of the road and I would make sure that I blinked right in between the markers. Another scary one, huh?
6. This one is for adult eyes only. If no one is home or I don't think about it, I will just grab whatever is easiest to eat for breakfast or lunch, which is usually some form of chocolate or cookie. I know it is not okay to eat crap for breakfast and lunch, it is just mostly because I am lazy.
7. I don't really like pie. It is supposed to be an American favorite, but I hate flakey crusts. I love things that are soft and moist. When I eat Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving (or really anytime I am force to eat it) I will most often leave the crust.

Now, I'm tagging-

1. Amy Peterson
2. Amy Waters
3. Laina
4. Shauna
5. Raechal
6. Kerra
7. Sherry