What I Learned Week 2

First full week of work.
First full week of B's swim practice.
First full week of soccer games/practices.
Tired. Check.

So far, things have actually been going good. My house is not as clean as once was. Oh well.

What have I learned this week? hmmmm

*We are a bag family. There are at least 2 bags per person in the kitchen at any time. Anyone want to build me a bag, I mean, mud room?

*The tables in the cafeteria have seats connected to them and the whole table folds up in half. Kindergartners are fascinated by this.

*Taking your arms out of your sleeves is one way to entertain yourself when you are listening to a teacher talk/teach.

*One little boy told me that he wants to be a penguin.

*The little boy I mostly work with fired me the other day. Thankfully he liked me again the next day.

*When toileting, he told me he needed help because his bunions hurt.

*Pay day is a highlight :)

*I had to go to music class this week. It was like I was back in elementary school with Mrs. Romberg. Ta Ta Tee Tee Ta It's amazing that my girls are musically talented.

*I am in the lunch room every day and the things kids bring for lunch is amazing. We are a pretty basic food group family. In the last week I have seen dried seaweed, ham/cucumber/cream cheese wrap, hummus, lots of veggies, and have opened more Gogurts than I care to remember.

*My gym has not changed in my 3 months absence and they didn't throw me a party or hand me a cupcake when I walked in the other day.

*Is it necessary to scream/hoot/holler when your team is up 5 nothing and proceed to score another 6 goals? Yes, K's team got smoked yesterday by a team double in people and size. Thankfully no one got hurt!


*The best part of the week is waking up on Friday to a text from Liz saying that she and her kids are invading Cape Cod for the weekend. Time to go wake them up!

3 days down, 187 to go

It's been 3 days of work, 2 days with the students and 1 day of meetings. What I have learned so far?

* Sparkles and sequins are in for fashion this school year.

* Hello Kitty is the cat's ass right now. Hahah, pun intended. She is on everything from shirts to lunch boxes and if she has sequins, it's even better!

* You can still participate in circle time when you are in the bathroom, if you can shout loud enough.

* Teachers that sit on the floor are cool because you can touch them and maybe sit on their lap if you are so inclined.

* Kindergartners are way smarter now than they were  (OK, I was)  40 years ago.

* In one girl's eyes, I am older than 8, but younger than 25. Yes, she is my favorite.

*I am hysterical to many 5 year olds.

* I still love recess.

* I still am uncomfortable in the cafeteria even though I am not actually sitting and eating lunch.

* Some 5 year olds have some serious balls and are not afraid to stand up to the teacher.

* I have a song about colors stuck in my head. Want to hear it?

* I am really happy tomorrow is Friday and I have no plans for the weekend.

* Teacher's have each other's backs.

* I still like to do crafts. Um, maybe more than the kids.....

That's a lot for a few days. Think of how much more knowledgeable I will be in June! I'll be ready for some sort of degree.... or vacation.

It's Time!

Today is my first day of school.

A little old for that, right?

Well, it is my first day of full time work in 15 years and it just happens to be at an elementary school.

I am nervous, excited, scared, happy and did I say nervous?

I know most of the staff already. I have actually worked in this school before part time. I have subbed there too. I am even good friends with some of the staff.

So why have I been dreaming about getting dressed in the morning, losing students, making lunch, being able to speak a clear sentence, forgetting to pick up my own kids, etc...

I have been lucky enough not to have had to work full time when my girls were little. Even though, in my eyes, they are still "little" they are not so little that I cannot work a school schedule. This way I can still drive them around all afternoon and evening and go to their games. We have the same days off and the summer "off". So what's to be nervous about?

I feel like I am adding a full time job to my full time job as a mom. Please do not chastise me for feeling this way. I already said that I was lucky enough to stay home with my girls for so long. Some moms stay home, some work, you have to do what's best or needed for your situation. All I am saying is that this is different for me and it's going to take some time to adjust.

So I will take my shower, hopefully not try on 8 different outfits, have breakfast and grab my new bag that has lots of fun pens, Sharpies and paper (thanks, MOM!) and head out the door with my head held high; off on my new adventure!

The New Swear Word

The new swear word in our house is, dare I say it, school.

That's right.

We are not allowed to mention the word until September.

I know some of you are already back, but as I have said before (way back in 2008), we don't start school until after Labor Day. While some parents are skipping through the aisles of Staples,

we are trying to cram in a bunch of fun before the bell rings on the 7th. I will completely admit that I love having my kids home in the summer. The schedule is lighter, the days are longer and we are flexible. There is no arguing over homework, there is no figuring out how to fit dinner in among horseback riding, jump rope practice or swimming and my meeting schedule is lessened.

There is, however, summer reading. I am not really a fan of the complexities of summer reading. Read this, write pages about it, oh yeah and don't forget to enjoy it. Why can't the kids pick 3 books that they WANT to read, enjoy them and have their parents sign something that says they did actually read. It is like pulling teeth around here to finish up before the first day of school. Maybe when they get to HS, they should read specific books, but not until then.

Anyway, for the next week and a half, we will be watching lots of Phineas and Ferb, completing the dreaded summer reading, hopefully welcoming a little niece/cousin into the family, going to the beach and NOT mentioning that particular "s" word.

Talent Mania

It's the time of the year for the annual talent show at the elementary school! 

It is my favorite time of the year!

Yes, I am serious about that. This will be my 5th year working on this show as the "musical coordinator". Sounds important, right? Actually, I get all the kids' music on a disc and try to play it at the right time. I just love the gumption (I'm turning into my grandmother!) they bring to the table.

This year we have kids playing instruments, singing, dancing, miming, rollerblading, rip-sticking, and having a saber sword re-inactment. The chorus will be singing, the cheerleaders cheering and the jump rope team jumping! 

I am always so amazed at the strength and fortitude and quite frankly, guts of these kids. They hop on stage and do their talent with barely a regard to the audience. Try putting a group of parents on stage and I am sure, one would wet their pants, one would forget their lines and one would curl up in the fetal position (ok, that would be me). 

The music the kids' pick is also amazing. This year we have Queen to Britney and classical to hard, classic rock. Of course, there is plenty of Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers and Camp Rock! There is also one song from my childhood, Disco Duck! That is a classic!

Over the February vacation, the kids will be practicing on their own. Then it is back to school  and a few big practices before the big night! Another bonus of working on the talent show is that it makes Feb and March go by much quicker! The only bummer is that B is aging out of the elem school this year. I can still go back and do this right? I'm not sure I ever want to retire from this "job"!

First Day of School!

Today was the first day of school here on Cape Cod. I know, some of you midwesteners have been in school for weeks. We like to enjoy our summer through Labor Day around these parts. Yesterday was a beautiful beach day, today it felt like fall and I was at a loss all day. I am one of those parents who actually miss their kids when they go back to school. (After the tantrum I just listened to, one might wonder why). The girls and I work really well on the "summer" schedule. Especially when we don't have to be somewhere at a specific time (you know, like school). K started 6th grade, B started 4th grade. It is B's last year in the elementary school and she started it off as the "king" of the school by sitting in the back of the bus. You know you've made it when you are allowed to sit in the back of the bus.

K took her Lamby to school with her. How cute is that? I actually got Lamby from my mom when K started Kindergarten. Lamby came in the mail just for me so I would have something to cuddle with while my eldest was in school. K came home from school that day, fell in love and Lamby was never mine again. Every year, Lamby has gone to school for the first day and things were no different today. Although K was sporting an Aeropostale shirt which made her extra cool.

While they were at school, I stopped by my friend Helen's back to school mimosa/bloody mary party. No I didn't partake in the beverages, just the donuts. This has been a tradition since our eldests have entered Kindergarten. It is a good time to reconnect with friends we have been to busy to see during the summer.

A thumbs up from each kid at pick up today made me so happy. 2 great teachers and 2 good first days. Then,of course, to Dairy Queen with 2 friends and their kids made it all complete. Now the stress from holding in the real emotions all day and the fact that K is tired and is having a tantrum/nervous breakdown. I must go cuddle and make all the stress go away. Thank God that Mommy's have some serious magic powers.